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Showing posts from April, 2023

PM Modi's 100th Mann Ki Baat Address Today To Go Global, Live: 10 Points

Mann Ki Baat was first aired on October 3, 2014, the year the BJP came to power after the United Progressive Alliance's 10-year rule, and PM Modi took charge. The radio talk is broadcast every month. BJP-ruled states have made elaborate arrangements to celebrate the 100th episode of Mann Ki Baat. The party will telecast the Prime Minister's radio address at their offices and booths. 3. The Tourism Ministry has announced "100 days of action" to mark the 100th episode of Mann Ki Baat. The activities include a design challenge for entrepreneurs to develop substitutes for single-use plastic items. The BJP tweeted where all people can watch tomorrow's "historic" Mann Ki Baat. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Mann Ki Baat is going global and hitting the century tomorrow. Don't forget to become witness to this historic airing as the PM directly connects with people all across the world," the party said. The Indian High Commission in London

"Isn't He Ashamed?" Ashok Gehlot Targets BJP Minister Over Sanjeevani Scam

Training his guns at Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat over the Sanjivani Credit Society scam, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said that the former was not taking any steps to get the money people and should be sacked. Referring to the case, the chief minister claimed that Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and his family are linked to it and misappropriated the people's money in the state. "He (Gajendra Singh Shekhawat) is a cabinet minister, isn't he ashamed that he is not taking any steps to get the money of two and a half lakh people? His people are sitting in jail. Doesn't he have a moral duty to talk to the victims," said Gehlot. He further said that victims met him thrice and shared their pain. "If Gajendra Singh does not want to meet the victims in person, I can send him the videos of the victims," said CM Gehlot. Earlier in March, Union Minister has recently moved to Delhi Court and filed a defamation case against Rajasthan Chief Minister

"Rectified Wrong Done By Congress": Amit Shah On Karnataka Muslim Quota

Lashing out at the Congress in poll-bound Karnataka on Saturday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rectified wrong done by Congress by doing away with Muslim reservation quota in Karnataka. The Home Minister made the remarks while addressing a gathering in Byndoor. Amit Shah said, "BJP has rectified the wrong done by Congress by doing away with the Muslim reservation quota in Karnataka. Congress wants to restore it. Ensure that it is not given this chance; it is unconstitutional as well as compromises the rights of Vokkaligas, Lingayats, SCs, STs and Dalits in the State." "BJP scrapped the 4 per cent Muslim reservation. That reservation was not as per Constitution. Our Constitution does not permit reservation on the basis of religion. Congress says that once their reverse gear government comes, they will bring back the Muslim reservation once again. Do you want that?" questioned Amit Shah. Alleging that Congress was incapab

Operation Kaveri: 365 Indians Brought Back Home From Sudan

India on Saturday brought back home a fresh batch of 365 people under its mission to evacuate stranded Indians from strife-torn Sudan. "More Indians come back home under #OperationKaveri. 365 passengers have just landed in New Delhi," External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar tweeted. The return of the fresh batch of Indians came a day after 754 people arrived in India in two batches under the evacuation mission. The total number of Indians who were brought back home now stands at 1,725, according to official data. The Indians were brought back home from the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah where India set up a transit camp for the evacuees. The first batch of 360 evacuees returned to New Delhi in a commercial plane on Wednesday. The second batch of 246 Indian evacuees arrived in Mumbai in a C17 Globemaster aircraft of the IAF on Thursday. Under Operation Kaveri, India has been taking its citizens in buses from conflict zones of Khartoum and other troubled areas to Port Sudan

Criminals Now "Begging For Their Lives" In UP: Yogi Adityanath

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday claimed that mafias and other criminals used to forcibly occupy the land of the poor and demand "goonda tax" under previous governments, but the state is free of anarchy under the BJP and there is rule of law. Yogi Adityanath, who was addressing public meetings in eastern Uttar Pradesh - one of poorest regions and a hotbed of mafias and gangsters, sought to woo voters for the upcoming urban body elections by harping on the planks of law and order and development. The chief minister asserted that security was now guaranteed in the state. "Earlier, the mafia used to demand goonda tax, but today, they are begging for their lives," he said. The BJP leader alleged that earlier, the SP, BSP and the Congress used to hand out pistols to the youths of the state, but the incumbent government gives youngsters tablet computers. "SP and BSP used to spread corruption and encouraged criminalisation of politics, dive

Terrorism Should Be "Condemned And Controlled": SCO Members

The member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) on Friday came up with a unanimous resolution that terrorism, in all its forms, should be "condemned and controlled", Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane said, adding that India, as the chair of SCO this year, will ensure a safe and secure future. Addressing the reporters at the conclusion of the SCO Defence Ministers' Meeting on Friday, Mr Aramane said, "All the member countries were unanimous in their statement that the terrorism, in whatever form, shall be condemned and controlled." "The extra-territorial terrorist activities, smuggling, narcotics and other areas, which have been identified as areas for cooperation, will be acted upon in the coming years," he added. The two-day SCO Defence Ministers meeting started on April 27 and was represented by delegates from all member-states -- hosts India, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. He adde

Three-Month-Old Child Dies After Vaccination In Jharkhand: Cops

A three-month-old child has died 24 hours after he was administered a vaccine at a community health centre in Jharkhand's Ramgarh district, a health official said on Friday. Ramgarh Civil Surgeon Dr Prabhat Kumar said a medical board has been formed to ascertain the cause of the death. Viscera will be preserved for a detailed enquiry of the case, Kumar said, adding that a state team of the World Health Organisation (WHO) will probe the rare case of a child's death after vaccination. The child, Abhiraj Kumar, was administered the pentavalent vaccine, which protects children from deadly diseases such as Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus and Hepatitis-B, by paramedical staffers at the CHC at Patratu on Thursday and his condition deteriorated, a police officer said. The child was taken to a hospital, where he died early on Friday, he said. His parents, Bablu Sao and Lalita Devi, however, alleged that their son died due to negligence and unsafe vaccination and demanded that those

Case Against Congress MLA's Gunman For Thrashing Toll Plaza Staff

A gunman of a Congress MLA allegedly thrashed a toll plaza employee on Gurugram-Faridabad road, forced him into his car, and drove him to a police outpost, according to a police complaint filed by the toll plaza management. The incident happened at the Bandhwari toll plaza when NIT-Faridabad MLA Neeraj Sharma stopped there with his staff and a row erupted between them and the toll workers, police said on Friday. The entire incident was captured in CCTV footage which is purported to have shown the MLA's gunman and other staff thrashing a toll worker and forcing him into the MLA's car. The gunman, Constable Virendra, in his complaint, accused the toll booth worker of being drunk on duty and misbehaving with him when they reached the toll plaza. Both parties filed complaints against each other Thursday at DLF Phase 1 Police Station on Thursday, with police filing two FIRs on the basis of these complaints. As per the first complaint filed by Chetan Sharma on behalf of the Band

Conducting Caste-Based Survey Not A Crime, Says Bihar Chief Minister

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday reacted with exasperation over the opposition faced by the 'head count of caste' underway in the state, saying that holding such a survey is not a crime. He asserted that the state is not conducting a caste census but only collecting information related to people's economic status and their caste so that specific steps could be taken by the government to serve them better. "The ongoing caste survey is a good initiative taken by us. People will be hugely benefited after the recognition of their economic status, whether they belong to the upper caste, backward caste or extremely weaker sections of the society. "I don't understand why a section of people are against this exercise... They are challenging it. Is it a crime? No, it is not," Mr Kumar said while addressing a conference of Civil Servants in Patna. An organisation had claimed that it was not a survey for a sample population but a census involving hous

How A Plastic Bag Was Key In Pinning Gurugram Man Who Cut Wife Into Pieces

A polythene bag became the key evidence in the solving of the murder of a woman, whose headless, half-burnt bust was found at a farm here last week. The woman missing her head with her both legs chopped off was found in a room at a farmhouse in a village in Manesar on April 21. The investigation led police to a 34-year-old Jitender, a former navy cook and the woman's husband, who later confessed to killing her over an illicit affair with another woman. "During the search of the room where the torso was found, police also found a polythene bag bearing the name of a Vishakhapatnam-based company. On enquiry, the vendor of the company informed us that they supply that type of polythene bag to the Indian Navy," Vijay Pratap Singh, DCP, Crime, said. Following the lead, police began searching records for missing person reports and found that a man named Jitender had reported his wife, a 28-year-old Sonia Sharma, missing on April 21. They found that Jitender, now a suspect,

UP Man, 20, Arrested Over Hoax Bomb Call At Delhi Airport: Police

A 20-year-old man was arrested for claiming over the phone that a bomb had been planted at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport, police said on Thursday, adding that the call later turned out to be a hoax. Police said the man, identified as Zakir, made the hoax bomb call on Monday. According to the police, a call from an unknown number was received at Delhi Police's control room. The caller on the other side of the wire said a bomb was planted at the IGI before disconnecting the call. "We immediately called back at the number but it was switched off," police said. "A search operation was launched immediately after at the Delhi Airport, but nothing suspicious was found," police said, adding that over the course of the investigation, it was found that the information shared with police was fake and the call was a hoax. "After that, the details of the caller were traced. It was found that the number belongs to a person named Zakir, aged 20 and

Gujarat Court To Hear Rahul Gandhi's Appeal In Defamation Case Tomorrow

 Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's appeal challenging the order of the Surat sessions court declining a stay to his conviction in a criminal defamation case over his "Modi surname" remark will now be heard by a new judge of the Gujarat High Court on April 29. As per the cause list published on Thursday by the High Court, Mr Gandhi's appeal will be heard by Justice Hemant Prachchhak on April 29. Earlier on April 26, when Rahul Gandhi's lawyer P S Champaneri mentioned the case before Justice Gita Gopi, she recused herself from the hearing by saying "Not before me." The development came a day after Mr Gandhi moved the HC. A metropolitan magistrate's court in Surat on March 23 sentenced the former Congress president to two years in jail after convicting him under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 499 and 500 (criminal defamation) in a 2019 case filed by Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Gujarat MLA Purnesh Modi. Following the verdict, Mr Gandhi, elected

Case Against 2,000 People For Offering Eid Namaz On Road In UP: Police

More than 2,000 people were booked in three FIRs for offering namaz without permission on a road outside the Eidgah on Eid last week, police said on Thursday. The FIRs were registered separately at Bajaria, Babu Purwa, and Jajmau police stations on Wednesday. No arrests have been made so far. A video of the people offering namaz on road was made by the police. "People offering namaz will be identified on the basis of video after which legal action will be taken against them," said an officer requesting anonymity. Angry with the police action, Mohammad Suleman, a member of All India Muslim Personal Law Board, told the media that they were being targeted on the basis of religion. He said that a few people did pray on the road outside the Eidgah because they were late and there was no space left inside the premises. One of the FIRs was lodged at the Bajaria Police Station against 1,000-1,500 unknown persons including some members of the Eidgah management committee at the co

5 Of 10 Cops Killed In Chhattisgarh Were Once Maoists, Wanted Better Life

Of the ten police personnel who lost their lives in a Maoist attack in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district, five had joined the force after quitting the Maoists, a senior official said on Thursday. Ten personnel belonging to the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and their civilian driver were killed after Maoists blew up a vehicle, which was part of a convoy carrying security personnel in the Aranpur police station area of Dantewada on Wednesday afternoon, using a powerful improvised explosive device (IED). The blast site is located around 450km from state capital Raipur. Of them, Head Constables Joga Sodi (35), Munna Kadti (40), Constables Hariram Mandavi (36) and Joga Kawasi (22), and Gopniya Sainik (secret troopers) Rajuram Kartam (25) were once active as Maoists and joined the police after surrendering, Inspector General of Police (Bastar range) Sundarraj P told PTI. Sodi, a resident of Arlampalli village in neighbouring Sukma district, and Kadti, a native of Muder village in Dante

Aligarh Muslim University Teachers' Association Polls To Be Held In June

The Aligarh Muslim University Teachers' Association election will be held in June, three years after the term of previous office-bearers ended. Prof Imrana Naseem, who was designated as the chief election officer at the general body meeting of the association on March 16, said although the term of office bearers ended in April 2020, elections could not be held on one pretext or the other. Teachers at the university had been raising this issue for the past two years. Yet the university authorities kept postponing the election citing various reasons, including the Covid pandemic. Polling for various posts in the teacher's body will be held in the first week of June, Prof Naseem said on Thursday. A group of senior faculty members on Thursday launched a mass contact drive to highlight their demand for holding elections to various governing bodies of the university. A spokesperson of the association said, "Teachers would intensify their protest in the coming days if the un

Drugs Worth Rs 2.5 Crore Seized, 245 Arrested In Weeklong Raids In Tripura

Tripura Police on Wednesday said it contraband drugs worth Rs 2.5 crores, arrested 245 persons, and registered 50 cases during the weeklong 'Anti Narcotics Special Drive' across the state. Further, as part of the seven-day-long crackdown carried out with the objective of a 'Nasha Mukt Tripura' (drug-free Tripura), state police searched over 53,000 vehicles and organised 375 awareness campaigns. The drive against the drug menace ended on Tuesday. Sushanta Deb, officer-in-charge, NCC Police Station, Agartala, said, "To make a 'Shreshth Tripura', a zero-tolerance policy against the drug menace in the State was adopted. During the drive, we conducted many raids and seized a huge amount of contraband drugs along with cash and vehicles." He informed further that more than 1 crore of narcotics items were seized and will be disposed of safely. "We are confident of achieving our targets against drug abuse, for a Nasha Mukt Tripura," he said. The

Wary Of Cyclone, Odisha Gears Up For Calamity In Advance

After being hit by summer cyclones for three consecutive years in 2019, 2020 and 2021, the Odisha government on Wednesday geared up for such an eventuality in the coming days, though the IMD forecast no possibility of any low-pressure formation in the Bay of Bengal in a fortnight. The government decided to open a round-the-clock control room across the districts from May 1 for monitoring the situation, a senior official said. The decision was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Secretary P K Jena where the state government's preparedness was reviewed. Senior officers of several government departments, the Director General of Police, Director General of Fire Service, the Special Relief Commissioner, and a senior official of IMD Bhubaneswar Centre were among others who attended the meeting. Jena asked line departments like revenue and disaster management, rural development, housing and urban development, health, home and panchayati raj and drinking water to be prepared

Ashok Gehlot Takes Jibe At Vasundhara Raje Over Her "Milk, Lemon" Remark

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday mocked his predecessor Vasundhara Raje after she rejected allegations of collusion with him. BJP leader Ms Raje last week rejected allegations of collusion with Mr Gehlot as a lie and said milk and lemon juice do not go together. Speaking to reporters during his visit to Bikaner, Ashok Gehlot said his government did not stop schemes of the previous BJP regime and even carried forward its Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project. "We do not stop their schemes but our (previous Congress regime) schemes were stopped by the former government (BJP dispensation) and this is the difference between 'milk' and 'lemon'," Mr Gehlot said. The senior Congress leader also highlighted the state government's various works, schemes and programmes and exuded confidence of the Congress returning to power in the assembly elections, due later this year. Ms Raje last week said a lie was being spread as part of a conspiracy. "

Antilia Bomb Scare: Court Rejects Sachin Waze's Plea For Home-Cooked Food

 Dismissed policeman Sachin Waze's plea seeking "specialized diabetic home-cooked food" in jail was on Wednesday rejected by a special court here, which said he was being provided a balanced diet in the prison. Mr Waze, a former Mumbai police officer, is an accused in the case of an explosives-laden sports utility vehicle (SUV) found near industrialist Mukesh Ambani's house and the murder of businessman Mansukh Hiran. He is currently in judicial custody and lodged at Taloja jail in neighbouring Navi Mumbai. On Monday, he filed an application in the special court hearing cases related to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for home-cooked food, citing his health condition. In his plea, Mr Waze claimed that a doctor from the state-run J J Hospital in Mumbai asked the jail superintendent to provide him a strict diabetic diet, and also advised the former police officer to consume medicines without fail. Mr Waze submitted that the prison administration would not be

Same Pay For Ayurveda Practitioners And Allopathic Doctors? Court Said...

The Supreme Court on Wednesday held that practitioners of alternative systems of medicine such as Ayurveda are not entitled to equal pay with allopathic doctors as they not are involved in performing emergency duties and complicated surgeries. Setting aside a Gujarat High Court order, the top court said the emergency duty that allopathy doctors are capable of performing and the trauma care that they are able to provide cannot be performed by Ayurveda practitioners. It noted that even post-mortem or autopsy is not carried out by Ayurveda practitioners. The apex court was hearing a batch of appeals challenging a 2012 Gujarat High Court order which had held that Ayurveda practitioners are entitled to be treated at par with doctors with MBBS degrees. While recognising the importance of Ayurveda practitioners and the need to promote alternative or indigenous systems of medicine, the top court said that it cannot be oblivious of the fact that both categories of doctors are certainly not

Gujarat Sanitation Worker Inhales Toxic Gas While Cleaning Sewer, Dies: Cops

A 23-year-old sanitation worker died apparently due to inhalation of poisonous gas while cleaning a sewer in Tharad town in Gujarat's Banaskantha district on Wednesday, police said. The dead worker was hired on contract by Tharad municipality for cleaning sewers. The incident occurred in the afternoon when two sanitation workers entered a manhole to clean the sewer, a police official said. "When these workers did not come out, local people informed the fire brigade. While one of them died on the spot, another worker was pulled out alive. He was rushed to a nearby hospital," he said. As per the preliminary probe, the victim died due to asphyxiation. A case of accidental death has been registered by the police. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.) from NDTV News-India-news https://ift.tt/Fn27dDB

"Pressure Was Built, Then Arrested": Top Punjab Cop On Amritpal Singh

Khalistan sympathiser and 'Waris Punjab De' chief Amritpal Singh came to the fore after the Punjab Police created a pressure situation by conducting extensive raids, said Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav on Tuesday. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann held a review meeting with Punjab Police officers on Tuesday. "CM held a law and order review meeting with Punjab Police officers. The operation that successfully concluded recently wherein NSA (National Security Act) detenues were successfully caught was reviewed. The officers who did the good work were motivated and encouraged by the CM," Punjab DGP told reporters after the meeting. Mr Yadav said discussions were also held on the overall upgradation, technological upgradation and future roadmap. "CM appreciated the role of Punjab Police that without firing a single bullet or any damage to any life or property, peace was maintained in Punjab. The Punjab Police is committed to maintaining peace and harmon

CBI Registers Case In Alleged West Bengal Civic Body Recruitment Scam

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed an FIR in connection with allegations of irregularities in municipal recruitments in West Bengal. The CBI registered the case on April 24 following the Calcutta High Court's order to probe the allegations. A single-judge bench composed of Justice Abhijit Ganguly passed the order based on the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) findings on the alleged teachers' recruitment scam. The Enforcement Directorate informed the court that it came across the alleged scam in municipal recruitments in West Bengal while investigating the money trail in the alleged teachers' recruitment scam. The high court had directed the CBI to submit a report on April 28 about the steps taken based on this order. The CBI has named Ayan Sil as an accused. Sil was arrested on March 20 by the CBI in connection with the alleged teachers' recruitment scam. The ED claimed that the agents, including Ayan Sil, involved in the school jobs bribery scam case,

Manish Sisodia Likely To Get Bail In Liquor Policy Case Today

A Delhi court is likely to deliver its order on the bail application of AAP leader Manish Sisodia in a money laundering case related to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam today. Special Judge M K Nagpal had reserved the order after hearing arguments on Sisodia's application seeking relief claiming that his custody was no longer required for investigation. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had opposed the application, asserting the investigation was at a "crucial" stage and claiming the former Delhi deputy chief minister had planted fabricated e-mails to show there was public approval for the policy. The federal anti-money laundering agency had also said it has found fresh evidence of his complicity in the alleged crime. The court had on March 31 dismissed Sisodia's bail application in the corruption case, being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), saying he was "prima facie the architect" in the criminal conspiracy behind alleged payment

"Criminals Begging For Mercy Now": Yogi Adityanath On UP Law And Order

Criminals in Uttar Pradesh walked around with their heads held high but now they hang placards around their necks begging for their lives, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Tuesday while campaigning for the urban local body elections. Adityanath addressed elections rallies in Unnao and Rae Bareli ahead of the polls, scheduled to take place in two phases on May 4 and May 11. Addressing an election rally in Rae Bareli, Adityanath said, "BJP ki ek hi yukti, pradesh ko dilai mafia se mukti (The BJP has only one solution which has rid the sate of criminals)'. The mafia are begging for mercy to lead regular lives and earn livelihood by honest means due to zero tolerance against crime." He also took a dig at the previous regimes, saying people associated with a particular party would brandish country-made pistols while the youths now are working on smartphones and tablets. Adityanath was referring to the Uttar Pradesh government's drive to distribute tablets and smar

Anti-Terror Agency's Fresh Raids In 4 States Linked To PFI Module Probe

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday conducted searches at 16 locations in Bihar, Goa, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab as part of its investigation against a suspected module of the banned Islamist organisation PFI in Bihar's Phulwari Sharif, officials said. A spokesperson for the federal anti-terror agency said "a hoard of digital devices, along with bank transaction details, were seized during the searches conducted at the premises of PFI suspects...incriminating documents related to PFI and Indian currency of the face value of Rs 1 lakh were also seized." Locations in Siwan, Sheohar, Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga, Katihar, Araria, Purnea and East Champaran districts of Bihar, South Goa district of Goa, Rampur and Bhadohi in Uttar Pradesh and Ludhiana in Punjab were searched by the NIA officials. A total of 13 persons were arrested in this case in July last year and the investigation relates to the training of Popular Front of India (PFI) cadre in Phulwari Sharif in

Rajnath Singh Is "Serious Candidate" For PM Post: Satya Pal Malik

Former Jammu and Kashmir governor Satya Pal Malik said on Monday that it was "wrong" to state that he was raising questions over the 2019 Pulwama terror attack only after demitting office. His remark came in response to a question on Union Home Minister Amit Shah's recent statement that he was "levelling allegations after parting ways with us". "It is wrong to state that I raised this issue when I was out of power," he told reporters in Sikar in Rajasthan, adding that he had raised it on the day of the attack. Forty Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed in the terrorist attack on a convoy of security vehicles in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama in February 2019. Mr Malik, who was then governor of Jammu and Kashmir, has recently alleged intelligence failures and that the central government denied aircraft for the movement of security personnel. To a question about the allegation that the CBI's recent summons to Mr Malik was l

"Don't Make Us Fight": Ashok Gehlot To Media Amid Tussle With Sachin Pilot

Amid a tussle over leadership with his former deputy Sachin Pilot, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Monday said the media should not make people fight. Addressing reporters here, he asserted that the Congress' election campaign in the state would focus on the schemes and programmes launched by his government. The veteran Congress leader also expressed confidence of his government returning to power on the basis of the works done in the last five years. Mr Gehlot's comments come in the backdrop of an ongoing tussle with Pilot. The duo has been at loggerheads over the chief minister's post ever since the Congress formed the government in Rajasthan in December 2018. Recently, Mr Pilot opened another front against CM Gehlot by holding a day-long fast while alleging that the state government did not take action against the alleged corruption during the tenure of the BJP regime led by Vasundhara Raje, as promised before the 2018 assembly polls. Mr Gehlot, however, h

Pilot Unions Threaten To Go To "Any Extent" Over Air India's Pay Revision

Indicating that they are ready for a showdown with the Tata Group-owned Air India management over its "unilateral" decision to revise the salary structure and service conditions, the two pilot unions at the airline warned the management of going to "any extent" to protect their members. On April 17, Air India rolled out a revamped compensation structure for its pilots and cabin crew, which has since been rejected by the two unions -- Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) and Indian Pilots Guild (IPG). "It has been resolved by the IPG and ICPA that if any member/s of our union/s is/are terminated by the management for not signing the revised terms and conditions, the ICPA and IPG have pledged in unison to go to any extent to protect member/s till they are reinstated," a joint ICPA-IPG resolution stated. A query sent to Air India did not elicit a response. Immediately after Air India circulated the revamped salary structure and service conditions,

Maharashtra Opposition Alliance Together In 2024? Sharad Pawar Said...

NCP chief Sharad Pawar's remarks on the unity of opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi constituents in Maharashtra have created ripples in state political circles. Asked if MVA, comprising NCP, Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT), will contest the 2024 elections together, Mr Pawar said on Sunday, “There is a willingness to work together. But mere desire is not always enough. Seat allotment, whether there are any other issues or not, all this hasn't been discussed yet, so how can I tell you.” Mr Pawar made it clear that during his meeting with Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi chief Prakash Ambedkar, the issue of the Ambedkar-led outfit joining MVA wasn't discussed. “Our talks were only about some seats in Karnataka Assembly elections,” he said. Mr Ambedkar said on Monday that VBA's entry into the Maha Vikas Aghadi was not discussed during his meeting with Mr Pawar. Marathi news channel ABP Majha on Monday quoted Mr Pawar saying off camera that he made the remarks on MVA as there is no clarit

"No Place For Even Those Who Sympathise With Mafias": Yogi Aadityanath

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who went on a campaign blitzkrieg on Monday slammed the previous state governments saying, "UP today has eliminated the presence of mafias and criminals and does not have a place for even those who sympathised with dreaded criminals that were a threat to society." During the urban body election campaign in Shamli district, Yogi Adityanath said, "There is no place for a single person in UP today who even sympathises with mafias and criminals. Those collecting 'Gunda Tax' are nowhere to be seen. The ones who used to impose curfews will come seeking votes, however, be careful and do not fall into their traps," adding, "Shamli-Muzaffarnagar's youth that remained neglected earlier, today, are successfully being recruited." Continuing his attack on the opposition, Chief Minister said: "Recall Shamli's condition six years ago. There were no jobs, no electricity, people could not celebrate festiv

BJP Seeks Jharkhand Minister's Resignation Over Alleged Chat With Woman

The BJP's Jharkhand unit on Sunday launched a no-holds-barred attack on state Health Minister and Congress leader Banna Gupta after a video of his purported video chat with a woman went viral on social media. The minister, however, was quick to issue a clarification over the alleged video chat, terming it "fake and edited". Hitting out at the state Health minister over his alleged video chat, the BJP demanded his resignation and a probe into the matter. Sharing the viral clip of the minister's purported video chat with the woman, BJP MP from Jharkhand, Nishikant Dubey, claimed that the video exposed the true face of the Congress. Speaking to ANI, the spokesperson for the BJP in Jharkhand, Pratul Shahdeo, said the Congress should clarify its position on the "obscene and objectionable" video. "The viral video purportedly showing the Health minister is highly objectionable. Though the veracity of the clip hasn't been ascertained as yet, we want to

Nitish Kumar To Meet Mamata Banerjee In Kolkata Today To Shore Up Unity

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who has taken upon himself the task of uniting Opposition forces against the BJP-led government at the Centre, will call on his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata on Monday. The meeting will come close on the heels of his visit to the national capital to meet Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge and former MP Rahul Gandhi. The meeting was seen as the major step to laying the groundwork for a grand Opposition alliance ahead of next year's Lok Sabha elections. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Rahul Gandhi said it was a "historic step" towards Opposition unity and for an "ideological fight". Rahul Gandhi, who posted a picture of himself with Mr Kharge and JDU and RJD leaders, said they are "standing together, will fight together for India". "In this battle of ideology, a historic step has been taken today towards Opposition unity. (We are) standing together, will fight together

Maharashtra Records 545 Fresh Covid Cases, 2 Deaths

Maharashtra on Sunday recorded 545 fresh coronavirus cases and two fatalities, the health department said. After the new additions, the state's COVID-19 tally rose to 81,61,894 and the death count to 1,48,504. A day earlier, Maharashtra recorded 850 cases and four fatalities. Mumbai saw 141 fresh cases and one fatality while another person died of COVID-19 in Ratnagiri. The case fatality rate in Maharashtra stands at 1.81 per cent. A total of 655 patients recovered from coronavirus infection in the last 24 hours, taking the cumulative recoveries in the state to 80,07,335. The current recovery rate is 98.11 per cent, a health department bulletin said. The state is now left with 6,055 active cases. With 8,278 tests conducted in the last 24 hours, the count of samples tested so far in Maharashtra has gone up to 8,68,93,709. The dominant variant of COVID in circulation is Omicron XBB.1.16. A total of 789 cases were found to be infected with this variant so far in Maharashtra, w

Police Among Injured In Stone Pelting Between 2 Rajasthan Communities

Stone pelting broke out between people of two communities in Malpura in Tonk district of Rajasthan on Sunday, said officials. Sub-Divisional Officer Malpura, Mahipal Singh said that police officials were also injured in the incident. Giving details, Mr Singh said, "At the Malpura sub-division headquarters of Tonk district, the situation worsened after a scuffle in Nagori locality led to stone pelting between the two communities in which many people were injured and many vehicles were damaged by the miscreants, while some police personnel were also injured." Mr Singh also informed that the top officials of the police have left Tonk with the police force to check the situation at Malpura and they'll try to pacify the groups in the area. SDM Singh said, "In Malpura today, the day after Eid, the situation worsened after an argument developed between children. Stones were pelted at the police personnel who reached the spot, in which some police personnel were also inj

Madhya Pradesh Man Dies By Suicide Over Family's Financial Situation: Cops

A 24-year-old man died by suicide by bursting a firecracker in his mouth in Madhya Pradesh's Sheopur district on Sunday, police said. Prima facie, the dead Brajesh Prajapati was tense as he couldn't pursue higher studies in a big city as his family's financial condition was not good. A police officer said the Prajapati took the extreme step as he was tense over some issues. "Prajapati burst a 'sutli' bomb cracker in his mouth when he was in the toilet at around 9 AM. After hearing the sound, his family members rushed in. They shifted the injured man to a hospital, where doctors declared him dead," he said. A case was registered and further investigation is underway. Hridyesh, the elder brother of the dead, said Brajesh was good in studies and a student of B.SC in a local college. He claimed the financial condition of the family was not good and they couldn't send Brajesh to a big city for studies. (Except for the headline, this story has not been

"Will Take Firm Stand": Sharad Pawar's Message Amid Buzz About Ajit Pawar

Following the buzz of Nationalist Congress Party leader (NCP) Ajit Pawar joining the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) coalition in Maharashtra, NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Sunday said there was no discussion about the matter in the party. "If someone is trying to break away (Ajit Pawar from NCP), then, it is their strategy and they must be doing that. If we have to take a stand, then we will take a firm stand. It is not right to speak anything on it as we have not had any discussions regarding this," Mr Pawar said. Earlier on Sunday, NCP leader Supriya Sule backed Ajit Pawar over his statement that he is prepared for the Chief Minister's post in the state and said that there is nothing wrong to have ambition in politics. "There is nothing wrong to have ambition or a dream in politics, everybody has it, so I don't think there is anything wrong with saying openly about it. In fact, he is very honest in talking about his ambition," NCP leader Supriya Sule t

"Autopsy Revealed...": Bengal Cops After Dalit Girl Allegedly Raped, Killed

Amid the alleged gang-rape and murder of a Dalit girl in North Dinajpur district's Kaliagunj, SP North Dinajpur Sana Akhtar on Saturday said that the victim's post-mortem report given by doctors reveals that death was due to a poisonous substance. This comes after a Dalit girl was allegedly gang-raped and murdered in the North Dinajpur district of West Bengal. On Thursday, the locals found the body of the minor, who had gone missing. On Friday, locals staged a protest demanding justice for her. Giving details about the incident, SP Dinajpur said, "We found a body of a girl, and police reached the spot. Probe began. The Main accused, and his father was detained. The case was registered based on the family's complaint. Both accused were sent to 14-day police custody" SP also informed about the post-mortem report of the victim and said that the death was due to a poisonous substance, however, they'll ask doctors to clarify if there's any sexual injury. &q

"Should Be Shot On Sight": Union Minister On Those Glorifying Atiq Ahmed

Reacting to slogans glorifying murdered Uttar Pradesh gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed after offering prayers, Union Minister Ashwini Choubey said that such people should be shot at sight and Bihar needs Yogi Adityanath's model of government. This comes after Patna police on Friday said one of the men at the Jumma Namaz (Friday prayer congregations) raised slogans glorifying dead Uttar Pradesh gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed after offering prayers in Patna district. "After offering Jumma Namaz, one of the men shouted 'Atiq Ahmad Amar Rahe' and used slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath," Vaibhav Sharma, City SP, Patna, said. Reacting to this, Union Minister said, "The incident is unfortunate and it is regrettable to make such statements and slogans in Bihar, such people should be immediately shot and sighted." Hitting out at the slogans raised against UP CM Yogi Adityanath and PM Modi

Ajit Pawar Capable Of Becoming Maharashtra Chief Minister: Sanjay Raut

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Saturday said Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar was capable of becoming Maharashtra chief minister since he has vast administrative experience, the statement coming days after the two engaged in a verbal tussle. Notably, amid speculation surrounding his next political move, Ajit Pawar on Friday said he would "100 per cent" like to become the chief minister. He had also said that NCP can stake a claim to the post of chief minister "now also" instead of waiting for 2024. Mr Raut, a key aide of Uddhav Thackeray, also said some undeserving people had gone on to become the chief minister of the state by engineering splits, an apparent reference to Eknath Shinde whose rebellion along with 40 MLAs in June last year brought down the Maha Vikas Aghadi government. Mr Raut also said there is no difference regarding the chief minister's post in the Maha Vikas Aghadi, which includes Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP, and Congress, and the al