“Our secret…” ISRO Chief’s hilarious reply on cost-effectiveness of Chandrayaan program

While speaking to the media persons on cost-effectiveness of the Chandrayaan program after the ‘historic’ soft landing of Chandrayaan-3, ISRO chief S Somanath expressed joy and said, “I don’t want to give too detailed answers and reveal our secrets, else others will learn how we are so cost-effective.”

“You are pride of country”: Karnataka Dy CM congratulates ISRO scientists after success of Chandrayaan-3's lunar mission

Bengaluru (Karnataka) : Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Wednesday visited the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) headquarters and congratulated the scientists after the Chandrayaan-3 lander made a successful soft landing on the surface of the Moon on Wednesday, making India the first country to reach close to the lunar south pole. Calling the scientists ‘pride of the country’, Shivakumar said that the efforts of all the ISRO scientists and staff who worked hard for the project are unforgettable. "Your achievement of successfully landing the Vikram lander on the moon is commendable. You are the pride of India. The efforts of all the ISRO scientists and staff who worked hard for the project are unforgettable...Congratulations to ISRO for their hard work," DK Shivakumar said. DK Shivakumar was also briefed about the Chandrayaan project and witnessed moments of meaningful happiness among scientists. With this success, India has also become the fourth nation in history to land on the lunar surface, after the United States, the erstwhile Soviet Union, and China. The Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) Chandrayaan-3 mission landed successfully after a 40-day journey starting from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota. India's success in landing the spacecraft on the Moon's south pole comes days after a Russian probe Luna-25 crashed in the same region. Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft put down the Vikram lander on the lunar surface, descending and tilted to a horizontal position ahead of landing. Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal also extended his greeting over the success and said that the historic moment is not only for the country, ISRO but for every citizen of the country. The MP further said that this is a landmark achievement for scientists in India and for everybody in India that our organisation which was set-up immediately after independence has reached such phenomenal heights "It's a historic moment not just for India, ISRO but for every citizen of the country. A moment that will be remembered for years and years to come. It's a landmark achievement for scientists in India and for everybody in India that our organisation which was set up immediately after independence has reached such phenomenal heights that the world now recognises ISRO as a lead institution and therefore I'm over the Moon for Chandrayaan-3 having landed over the Moon...I've also been a Minister of Science and Technology and I know what it can do for our country," he said. The spacecraft was launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh’s Sriharikota on July 14. A GSLV Mark 3 (LVM 3) heavy-lift launch vehicle was used for the launch of the spacecraft that was placed in the lunar orbit on August 5 and since then it was through a series of orbital manoeuvres been lowered closer to the moon’s surface.

Chandrayaan-3: Haryana CM Khattar congratulates ISRO scientists on successful soft-landing

Chandigarh (Haryana) : Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar congratulated the ISRO scientists on the success of Chandrayaan-3 and said that it was a moment of great pride and joy for the entire country. Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar said, "Arey Waah, Maza aa gya! Look, the Moon has come closer to us. It's a moment of joy as Tiranga gets hoisted on the Moon. After landing on the Moon successfully Chandrayaan-3 is reflecting India's presence on the Lunar surface. On this great occasion, I express gratitude towards ISRO and its scientists as we have got this achievement owing to their skills, courage and brilliance." CM Manohar Lal Khattar said that this success was a giant leap for the entire humanity. He further said, "PM Narendra Modi has boosted the morale of scientists every moment. With this mission, the dream of PM Modi to make India a developed nation will come true." The Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) Chandrayaan-3 landed successfully after a 40-day journey starting from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota. India's success in landing the spacecraft on the Moon's south pole comes days after a Russian probe Luna-25 crashed in the same region. Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft put down the Vikram lander on the lunar surface, descending and tilted to a horizontal position ahead of landing.

India's Chandrayaan-3 mission achieves remarkable success: ISRO's lunar endeavor successfully soft-lands on Moon

Bengaluru (Karnataka) : In a momentous achievement, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announced that its Chandrayaan-3 mission has triumphantly accomplished a soft landing on the lunar surface. "Chandrayaan-3 Mission: 'India, I reached my destination and you too!': Chandrayaan-3. Chandrayaan-3 has successfully soft-landed on the moon! Congratulations, India!" posted ISRO on X, formerly known as Twitter. The success was met with jubilation at ISRO's headquarters, as Chief S Somanath extended his gratitude to the team and supporters for their unwavering dedication. Reflecting on the journey, he emphasized the invaluable lessons learned from previous setbacks that ultimately paved the way for this triumph. He said, "Thank you everyone for the support...We learned a lot from our failure and today we succeeded. We are looking forward to the next 14 days from now for Chandrayaan-3." "India is on the Moon", he said as Chandrayaan-3 lander module Vikram made a safe and soft landing on the Moon.Meanwhile, CRPF jawans in Jammu celebrate and raise slogans of 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' as the ISRO's third lunar mission Chandrayaan-3 makes a successful landing. Officials at India's space agency ISRO headquarters in Bengaluru broke into applause after the Vikram began its powered vertical descent towards its landing site. With this India has become the fourth country- after the US, China and Russia – to have successfully landed on the moon’s surface, it has earned a place in record books as the first to touchdown on the south side of Earth’s only natural satellite. Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft put down the Vikram lander on the lunar surface, descending and tilted to a horizontal position ahead of landing. The spacecraft was launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh’s Sriharikota on July 14. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) founder Vikram Sarabhai, who is considered the father of the Indian space program, once said India must be second to none in the application of advanced technologies to the real problems facing society. The establishment of the ISRO was one of Vikram Sarabhai's greatest achievements. He successfully convinced the government of the day of the importance of a space programme for a developing country like India.

Watch! PM Modi gets rousing welcome from Indian diaspora at Sandton Sun Hotel in Johannesburg

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is in Johannesburg city of South Africa to attend the 15th BRICS Summit, received a rousing welcome at the Sandton Sun Hotel by the Indian diaspora members of all ages. During his visit, PM Modi will attend the 15th BRICS summit. BRICS is a grouping of the world economies of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. The BRICS summit will be held from August 22-24. This will be PM Modi's third visit to South Africa and the trip marks the 30th anniversary of the diplomatic relationship between India and South Africa. This year's BRICS is under the presidency of South Africa. The theme of this year's summit is: "BRICS and Africa: Partnership for mutually accelerated growth, sustainable development, and inclusive multilateralism."This will be the first in-person BRICS Summit after three consecutive years of virtual meetings owing to the Covid-19 pandemic. From South Africa, the PM will travel to Athens, Greece on Friday at the invitation of Prime Minister of Greece Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

India will soon become 5 trillion dollar economy, will be growth engine of world: PM Modi in S Africa

Johannesburg [South Africa]: In his address at the BRICS Business Forum Leaders' Dialogue in Johannesburg, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday that India will soon be a 5 trillion dollar economy and in the coming years will be the growth engine of the world. He expressed gratitude towards South African President Cyril Ramaphosa for inviting him and organizing the meeting. "My heartiest congratulations on the 10th anniversary of the BRICS business council. In the last 10 years, the BRICS Business Council has played a vital role in enhancing our economic cooperation," PM Modi said. BRICS came as a ray of hope for the world economy in 2009 when it was first held. "In 2009, when the first BRICS Summit was held, the world was just coming out of a massive financial crisis. At that time, BRICS emerged as a ray of hope for the global economy. In the present times also, amongst the Covid pandemic, tensions and disputes, the world is dealing with economic challenges and in such times, once again the role of BRICS is important," he added. PM Modi said that India has converted the crisis into an opportunity. "We have enforced reforms in mission mode, removed the red tape and have seen a boost in investor confidence." Prime Minister Modi attended BRICS Business Forum Leaders' Dialogue in Johannesburg, South Africa on Tuesday. Leaders of BRICS Countries Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa were also present at the Business Forum. PM Modi arrived in South Africa earlier today, where he will attend the 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg from August 22-24 at the invitation of the country’s president Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa. PM Modi said he looks forward to holding bilateral meetings with "some of the leaders present in Johannesburg". "BRICS has been pursuing a solid cooperation agenda across various sectors. We value that BRICS has become a platform for discussing and deliberating on issues of concern for the entire Global South, including development imperatives and reform of the multilateral system,” the PM said in a statement. BRICS is a grouping of the world economies of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. The BRICS summit is being held from August 22-24. This will be PM Modi's third visit to South Africa and the trip marks the 30th anniversary of the diplomatic relationship between India and South Africa. This year's BRICS is under the presidency of South Africa. The theme of this year's summit is: "BRICS and Africa: Partnership for mutually accelerated growth, sustainable development and inclusive multilateralism." This will be the first in-person BRICS Summit after three consecutive years of virtual meetings owing to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Hate sees only Hate…” Prakash Raj clarifies after facing backlash over ISRO’s moon mission joke

Famous actor Prakash Raj made an attempt to mock the ambitious moon mission of the country. Taking to X, he posted caricature in a lungi pouring tea to mock mission.“First picture coming from the Moon by Vikram Lander” Prakash Raj captioned.Prakash Raj received sharp reactions from X users (formerly known as Twitter) for his post. Meanwhile, the Lander Module on August 20 completed its final deboosting operation.On Aug 23, India will witness the historic landing of Chandrayaan-3 to land Moon’s unexplored South Pole

Prime Minister's Principal Secretary chairs high-level meeting to review COVID-19 status, preparedness

New Delhi : Principal Secretary to Prime Minister PK Mishra chaired a high-level meeting to review the global and national COVID-19 situation, newer variants in circulation and their public health impact on Monday, a press release from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare read. This was in view of recent reports of the detection of certain newer variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus reported globally. The meeting was attended by NITI Aayog Member Vinod Paul, Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba, PMO Advisor Amit Khare, Health and Family Welfare Secretary Sudhansh Pant, Secretary of Department of Health Research and Indian Council of Medical Research Director General Rajiv Bahl, Biotechnology Secretary Rajesh S. Gokhale and Additional Secretary to Prime Minister Punya Salila Srivastava. An overview of the global COVID-19 situation was given by Health Secretary including certain newer variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, like BA.2.86 (Pirola) and EG.5 (Eris), which have been reported globally, the press release mentioned. The Health Secretary underlined that as per World Health Organization (WHO), while the EG.5 (Eris) has been reported from over 50 countries, the variant BA.2.86 (Pirola) has been reported in four countries. It was highlighted that while globally a total of 2,96,219 new cases of COVID-19 were reported in the past seven days, India which contributes to nearly 17 per cent of the global population, has reported only 223 cases (0.075 per cent of global new cases) in the past week, the release mentioned. The Health Secretary added that the daily average of new COVID-19 cases continues to be below 50 from the entire country and the country has managed to maintain a weekly test positivity rate of less than 0.2 per cent. An overview of the Genome Sequencing of different variants circulating in India was also provided. After detailed deliberations, PK Mishra highlighted that while the COVID-19 situation in the country remains stable and public health systems in the country remain geared up, there is a need for States to monitor trends of influenza-like illness or severe acute respiratory infections cases, send sufficient samples for testing of Covid-19 while ramping up Whole Genome Sequencing and maintain a close watch on the new global variants, the press release stated.

German Minister Volker Wissing “fascinated” by first-hand experience of India’s UPI payment model

German Embassy in India on Sunday hailed India’s digital infrastructure, calling it one of the country’s success stories. The high praise for India’s digital payment model came after Germany's Federal Minister for Digital and Transport, Volker Wissing, used UPI to make payments in India and was "very fascinated" by the experience. In the pictures and video posted by Germany Embassy in India on X, Wissing can be seen using the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) to make a payment to a vegetable seller. Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, German Embassy in India stated, “One of India’s success stories is digital infrastructure. UPI enables everybody to make transactions in seconds. Millions of Indians use it. Federal Minister for Digital and Transport @Wissing was able to experience the simplicity of UPI payments first-hand and is very fascinated!” On August 19, Wissing attended the G20 Digital Ministers Meeting in Bengaluru. On August 18, Wissing arrived in Bengaluru to participate in G20 Digital Ministers Meeting.

India, China continue discussions to resolve issues in Eastern Ladakh

New Delhi : In what could be a positive signal towards resolution of long pending issues between them, armies of India and China are holding ‘marathon discussions’ to resolve the long pending issues in Demchok and Depsang plains. Sources in the defence establishment said that the Major General-level talks at Daulat Beg Oldie and Chushul to resolve the ongoing stand-off in Eastern Ladakh have been on since Friday morning with breaks with an objective to address the pending issues. The two sides have held 19 rounds of talks so far to address the boundary issues in Eastern Ladakh since 2020 post-Chinese aggression there. As part of the follow-up on discussions at Corps Commander level talks, the Indian Army and their Chinese counterparts are holding the Maj Gen-level talks. The Indian side is being represented by Trishul Division Commander Maj Gen PK Mishra and Uniform Force Commander Maj Gen Hariharan at two different locations. The talks are based on the outcome of the 19th round of Corps Commander-level talks held between the two sides on August 13,14 at the Chushul Moldo border meeting point. The two sides are discussing points about resolving legacy issues including resumption of patrolling in the Depsang plains and the issue of Chinese military presence at the CNN junction. India and China have been in a stand-off situation for the last three years and relations at all levels have deteriorated due to the tensions on borders. India and China have deployed over 50,000 troops in the Eastern Ladakh sector across the Line of Actual Control. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval had held extensive talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and after that, only the 19th round of corps commander talks were held after a four-month gap.

“It’s saddening…” Space strategist denounces talks of moon race between Chandrayaan-3 and Luna-25

While Russia's moon mission failed after its Luna-25 spacecraft spun out of control and smashed into the moon, India’s Chandrayaan-3 is ready to make history by landing on the moon’s south pole. However, space strategist PK Ghosh said that it would be unfair to call it a race between Chandrayaan-3 vs Luna-25 and termed Russia “pioneers in space.”

‘Superstar’ Rajinikanth meets Yogi Adityanath in Lucknow, greets CM by touching his feet

‘Thalaivar’ Rajinikanth met Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath at his residence in Lucknow on August 19. In a heart-warming gesture, Rajinikanth touched CM Yogi’s feet upon his arrival. Megastar Rajinikanth was accompanied by his wife Latha Rajinikanth. Earlier today, a special screening of the film ‘Jailer’ was attended by UP Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya.

"Entire nation stands shoulder to shoulder with bereaved families," Amit Shah condoles deaths in Ladakh accident

New Delhi: Condoling the demise of Indian Army soldiers in an accident near Leh in Ladakh, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said that the entire nation stands shoulder to shoulder with the bereaved families. According to defence officials, as many as nine Indian Army personnel were killed and one was injured after their vehicle fell into a gorge in Ladakh. Taking to the social media platform, X, formerly called Twitter, Amit Shah said, "Deeply saddened by the tragic road accident in Ladakh in which we lost our valiant soldiers, as their vehicle fell into a gorge. The entire nation stands shoulder to shoulder with the bereaved families in this hour of grief. My sincerest condolences to them. May the injured recover at the earliest." Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president JP Nadda also condoled the deaths of nine soldiers. "Deeply pained to hear about the loss of our Army personnel in a tragic road accident near Leh in Ladakh. The nation will forever be in debt for their service. My sincere condolences to the bereaved families. May the Almighty give them strength to bear this pain. I am praying for the speedy recovery of the injured," Nadda took to the social media platform, X, formerly called Twitter. According to officials, the accident occurred around 6.30 pm. "The troops were moving from Karu garrison to Kyari near Leh," they added. Further information is awaited.

UAE condemns burning of churches, homes in Pakistan

Abu Dhabi [UAE]: The United Arab Emirates has strongly condemned the burning of a number of churches and dozens of homes by extremists in Pakistan, and denounced the coinciding violence that has taken place, The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of UAE said in a press statement on Saturday. The Ministry affirmed the UAE's permanent rejection of all practices aimed at undermining security and stability in contravention of human and moral values and principles, stressing that hate speech and extremism contradict international efforts to spread the values of tolerance, coexistence and peace among peoples, the press release said. Furthermore, the Ministry stressed the need to respect religious symbols and avoid incitement and polarization at a time when the international community needs to work together to reaffirm a commitment to upholding the universal principles of tolerance and peaceful coexistence, which should be promoted and implemented to achieve stability and sustainable development. In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) commended the efforts and diligence of the Pakistani government and the measures it implemented in confronting these criminal acts. Earlier this week, on Wednesday, a mob made its way through a predominantly Christian area on the outskirts of the industrial city of Faisalabad after allegations that the Holy Quran had been desecrated. Over 100 people were arrested in connection with the church vandalism case, Geo News reported citing the Punjab interim government’s spokesperson. Meanwhile, Christian leaders alleged that the police remained silent spectators, Dawn reported. A day after the arrest of over 100 people in connection to the incident, Jaranwala police of the Faisalabad District on Thursday said that they have registered two terror cases against 600 people for ransacking and torching Christians' homes and a church building a day ago, reported Dawn. Multiple churches were vandalised in the Jaranwala district of Pakistan's Faisalabad on Wednesday over blasphemy allegations, Pakistan-based Dawn reported citing officials. Moreover, the residents of the members of the Christian community were also attacked. A Christian cemetery and the office of the local assistant commissioner were also vandalized during the attack. It identified eight people as leading the mob, one of whom is allegedly affiliated with the Jamaat Ahl-e-Sunnat and another with the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), Dawn reported. The FIR invoked sections pertaining to “punishment for acts of terrorism” — of the Anti-Terrorism Act, of 1997. According to the FIR, the mob "threw out people’s belongings from their homes and started setting them on fire." The suspects also “entered a Catholic church, destroyed the things there, and damaged and torched its building”, it added. The complaint further stated that subsequently, a police contingent arrived there from Faisalabad headquarters and launched tear gas, “forcing the crowd to disperse," reported Dawn. Moreover, the cop further said that he along with other officials were at Fawara Chowk at 9:30 am when they heard an announcement on the mosque's loudspeaker regarding an incident of blasphemy and inciting people for violence. Following that, around 500-600 people gathered in front of the mosque and were armed with sticks, canes and rods and started shouting slogans. The mob then incited to attack the homes and churches of the Christian community. The officials added that the police party tried to stop the mob but they resisted and started forcefully entering homes of the Christian community and setting churches ablaze, reported Dawn.

India building world’s highest road, tunnel, fighter jet base in Eastern Ladakh

India is building world’s highest tunnel, motorable road, and fighter aircraft base in Eastern Ladakh. BRO is going to break its own record of building the highest road at ‘Umlong La Pass’ two years’ back. And now it will be surpassed in next two working seasons with the ‘Mig La-Fukche’ road coming up. BRO chief Lt General Rajeev Chaudhry shared that it will help in the deployment of troops at the earliest if any critical situation arises. Chaudhry said the world’s highest bi-lane tunnel ‘Sela’ is also ready. Moreover, ‘Sela’ is expected to be dedicated to the nation by the Prime Minister very soon. Chaudhry stated that the construction of ‘Shinku La’ tunnel connecting Manali through Zanskar to Leh will be started. ‘Shinku La’ tunnel will be the highest and will break the record of the MiLa tunnel situated in China. Nyoma airfield which is just 30 kilometres in aerial distance in Eastern Ladakh, will be capable of operating fighter aircraft by the end of next year.

8 times Guinness world record holder jewellery brand unveils spectacular masterpiece of Lord Vishnu

The Indian Jewelry Brand ‘Shiv Narayan’ which has previously bagged 8 Guinness World Records has unveiled its latest masterpiece 'Shri Ananth Padmanabhaswamy’. It has been inspired by the divine idol enshrined in the iconic Shri Ananth Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. The jewel captures every intricate detail of the original with remarkable precision.

J&K: Meet young entrepreneur from Baramulla who started online food delivery service

Baramulla youth Rashid Mohi-u-din started an online food delivery service in Baramulla through an app named WalAan. First of its kind in J&K, the online food delivery service WalAan has its roots in the town of Baramulla. WalAan aims at offering a plethora of delicacies to doorsteps, ranging from exquisite Kashmiri Street Food like Classical Charcoal Barbeque, and Potato Fritters to the Wazwan varieties like Kabab, Rista, and much more.

“Fighting in hope of getting justice”: Omar Abdullah as SC hears Article 370 pleas

New Delhi : National Conference leader Omar Abdullah on Thursday that they are fighting in the hope of getting justice as the Supreme Court continues to hear petitions challenging the abrogation of Article 370. "We are fighting in hope of getting justice...We have hired the best lawyers. We hope that the Judges are convinced with our arguments. It is a long procedure but we are waiting,” Omar Abdullah said. Earlier today, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti said that her party has hope from the Supreme Court that it will do justice."We have hopes from the Supreme Court that it will do justice. Our struggle does not end here. Our struggle will continue..." Mufti said. "It is not just a legal issue for me, it is an emotional issue for the people of J-K," she added. The Constitution bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Justice DY Chandrachud is hearing a batch of petitions challenging the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution and bifurcating the state into two Union Territories. The Constitution bench comprises Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul, Sanjiv Khanna, BR Gavai, and Surya Kant. The Centre abrogated the special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 on August 5, 2019.

Nigerian national "kingpin" of drug supply in Bengaluru, arrested in Hyderabad

Hyderabad (Telangana) : The Telangana Anti-Narcotic Bureau (TSNAB) has arrested a Nigerian national in possession of psychotropic drugs in Hyderabad. The psychotropic drugs—Ecstasy (MD) pills—seized from him are worth around Rs. 10.56 lakhs, said authorities. "On Wednesday, the sleuths of TSNAB along with Film Nagar Police, Hyderabad City apprehended one Nigerian National named Ogbaugu David Uka with the possession of psychotropic drugs- Ecstasy (MD) Pills- in the limits of Film Nagar Police Station seized Ecstasy Pills-numbering 264 and worth around Rs. 10.56 lakhs," a statement issued by TSNAB said. According to the TSNAB, the accused Ogbaugu David Uka is a kingpin in drug supply at Bengaluru city and stays in Bengaluru. He has contacts with drug peddlers in Hyderabad city and frequently travels to Hyderabad.In the recent past, seven drug peddlers were arrested in two different crimes registered at Kachiguda Police Station and KPHB Police Station are getting psychotropic drugs from Ogbaugu David Uka and they were selling to the consumers in Hyderabad city, the officials said. The accused exposed himself to the general public as Pastor and in the guise of Pastor he is serving as welfare chairman to the “ALL INDIA NIGERIAN STUDENTS & COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION”, the officials added. According to the police, the main functions of the association are to arrange bails and other legal assistance to the arrested drug offenders of Nigerian Nation. He uses fabricated identity cards with fake names to conceal his identity. He also using a fake VISA. He took SIM cards on the name of others and using them for his criminal activities, the police said. "On credible information on 16.08.2023 when he came to Hyderabad city to supply Ecstasy Pills to his known peddlers, the sleuths of TS NAB along with Film Nagar PS staff apprehended him and seized 264 Pills from his possession worth Rs 10.56 Lakhs," said the TSNAB statement. A case has been registered against him under sections 8(c) and 22(c) of the NDPS Act in Film Nagar Police Station, Hyderabad.

Grammy winner Ricky Kej releases instrumental rendition of India’s National Anthem

On the eve of India’s 77th Independence Day, three-time Grammy Award winner Ricky Kej released a rendition of India’s National Anthem recorded with the largest orchestra ever at the iconic Abbey Road Studios in London. The recording of ‘Jana Gana Mana’ features a 100-piece British orchestra from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO). Taking to Twitter, Ricky Kej wrote, “A few days ago, I conducted a 100-piece British orchestra, The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra to perform India’s National Anthem at the legendary Abbey Road Studios, London. This is the largest orchestra ever to record India's National Anthem and it is spectacular! The "Jaya He" at the end gave me goosebumps. Felt great as an Indian composer.” Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the version of India’s National Anthem and said, “It will make every Indian proud.”

“Solution has to come from heart not bullets,” CM Himanta counters Rahul Gandhi’s remark on Manipur

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, in a press conference, fired salvos at PM Modi-led govt on Aug 11. Slamming the Centre over Manipur issue, Rahul Gandhi said that “Indian Army could stop violence in just 2 days”. Countering Rahul Gandhi, Assam CM Himanta Biswa said that “solution has to come from heart not from bullets”.

“Rahul Gandhi lost his mental balance…” Pralhad Joshi lambasts Congress Leader

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi criticised Congress MP Rahul Gandhi for not coming to the House on August 11, the last day of the Monsoon Session of the Parliament. Addressing a Press Conference in Delhi, the Minister lambasted the Congress Leader and said that Rahul Gandhi has lost his mental balance. “Congress and other opposition parties never thought that we would agree to a discussion on Manipur...Like PM Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah said we should be sensitive about the issue. Today, as well what all has Rahul Gandhi said. I think Rahul Gandhi lost his mental balance, it appears like that...He has not heard the reply. He did not come to the House...It is very unfortunate that the so-called grand old party is behaving so irresponsibly...” said Minister Pralhad Joshi.

“Country will not let you sleep…” PM Modi counters Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Ravan’ remark

Prime Minister Narendra Modi countered Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Ravan’ remark in Lok Sabha on August 10. While addressing, he said, “It is true that Lanka was not set ablaze by Hanuman, it was set ablaze by his (Ravan) arrogance. People are also like Lord Ram and that is why you have been reduced to 40 from 400. People elected full majority government twice but it is troubling you that how come a poor man is sitting here and this is not letting you sleep and the people of the country will not let you sleep even in 2024. There was a time when cakes were cut in aeroplanes on birthdays, but today vaccines are being sent for the poor in those aeroplanes.”

“Congress has been launching a failed product again and again”: PM Modi jibes at Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi : In an apparent dig at the Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that his party had repeatedly been trying to launch a “failed product” for years, but fails every time. While replying to the no-confidence motion, PM Modi took a veiled swipe at Congress and said that the party's effort to launch a “failed product” has failed every time. "...I can understand the troubles of Congress. For years, they have been launching, again and again, a failed product. The launching fails every time. The result is that their hatred for voters has reached its peak. The launching fails and they harbour hatred for voters,” the PM said. Coming down heavily on Rahul Gandhi over his ‘mohabbat ki dukaan’ (a shop of love) slogan, the PM said that this is a shop of loot and a market of lies. “PR people propagate 'Mohabbat ki dukan'. People of the country are saying, ‘Ye hai loot ki dukan, jhooth ka bazaar’ (This is a shop of loot and market of lies),” he added. While replying to the no-confidence motion debate in the Lok Sabha, PM Modi said: “Yesterday, someone talked about doing ‘dil se baat’. Their ‘Modi prem’ is such that they see Modi even in their dreams. I can understand Congress’ problem, they have been launching a failed product repeatedly. The launch fails every time.” During his address which lasted over two hours, Modi also slammed the I.N.D.I.A alliance and called it “ghamandiya” (arrogant) coalition in which everyone wants to become the prime minister. "This 'Ghamandiya' alliance is a guarantee of double-digit inflation, corruption, policy paralysis, instability, appeasement, dynasty, unemployment, violence and terrorism. It is Modi's guarantee that in my third term, India will be among the top three economies in the world...,” he said. Taking on the Opposition alliance, he said that the last ‘I’—(main) in the bloc’s name stands for the ‘arrogance’ of one family. "Their trouble is such that they had to take the support of NDA to keep themselves alive. But, out of habit, the arrogance of 'I' doesn't leave them alone. That is why, they inserted two 'I's of arrogance in NDA. First 'I' - the arrogance of 26 parties and the second 'I' - the arrogance of one family. They stole NDA too. They also broke India - I.N.D.I.A,” the PM said. However, the no-confidence motion was defeated in the Lok Sabha on Thursday. The NDA defeated the no-confidence motion comfortably with a voice vote in the Lok Sabha. The opposition moved a no-confidence motion against the Modi government on July 26 which was taken up by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. The three days of the motion witnessed a fierce battle between the ruling and the Opposition coalitions over the Manipur violence and other raging issues.

Why hasn’t President’s rule been imposed in Manipur? Amit Shah explains

Amid the ongoing uproar, Union Home Minister Amit Shah talked about Manipur violence in Lok Sabha during the no-trust vote. Countering the Opposition's allegations, HM Shah explained steps taken by the Central Government and explained why there is no President rule imposed in the North-eastern state.

Amit Shah appeals to communities in Manipur to work for peace, says politicising issue is “shameful”

New Delhi : Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday, while speaking on Manipur violence in Lok Sabha appealed with 'folded hands' for an end to the three-month-long cycle of violence in the state and urged Kuki and Meitei communities to hold talks saying violence cannot be a solution to any problem. “Come and hold talks. I urge both communities to sit with the Centre and talk to resolve the issue. We do not wish to change the demography. Violence is not a solution to any problem. I assure you that we will bring peace to the state. Politics should not be done on this issue,” Amit Shah said. During the debate on the no-confidence motion after Rahul Gandhi, other opposition leaders slammed the government's handling of the Manipur situation, Shah urged them not to politicise the issue of ethnic violence in the state. Shah also said that the unrest in Myanmar in 2021 caused the ethnic conflict in the north-eastern state and political instability in the neighbouring country had prompted thousands of refugees to flee into Manipur across a porous border. The February ruling by the High Court added “fuel to the fire”, he said. "In 2021, the government changed in Myanmar and the military took over the governance there. The democratic government was toppled. Democratic Kuki Fund started demonstrating against the military there. Against the backdrop of their demonstration, the military started suppressing the community. Since there is no fencing there and we share an open border with Myanmar, people from the Kuki community came in large numbers in Mizoram and Manipur,” Shah said adding that the influx from the neighbouring country created “a feeling of insecurity” among the Meiteis. He further said that the ruling of the Manipur High Court included people belonging to the Meitei community in the list of Scheduled Tribes (STs). “On April 29, there was a rumour that the place where the refugees were residing, has been declared as a village which led to unrest in the valley. After this too, we ran campaigned and told people that there is nothing like that. Later, the ruling by Manipur High Court fuelled in the fire. The court took up the petition suddenly without taking consent of the Central government and state government and ruled to include the Meitei community in the Tribal. Without any legal proceeding, the verdict was given. On May 3, the clashes erupted during a rally,” Shah said. In his over two-hour reply, Shah ruled out a change of guard in Manipur saying that the chief minister was cooperating with the Centre in the efforts to restore peace. “A state CM needs to be changed when he is not cooperating. This CM is cooperating with the Centre,” he said. Shah also referred to the video of the May 4 incident, in which two women were stripped and paraded naked by the mob, that appeared on July 19, saying the government was not aware of it. "I agree with the opposition that there is a cycle of violence in Manipur ... Nobody can support such incidents. Whatever happened is shameful, but to politicise those events is even more shameful,” Shah said. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla also appealed for peace in the state. Amit Shah also gave a detailed response on what led to violence in Manipur and the measures taken by the government to control the situation in the state. Speaking during the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, Shah told parliament that the violence was slowly decreasing, as nearly 36,000 military and paramilitary troops have been deployed in the state. He said his ministry was “keeping a very close watch to ensure peace”. “We will do it in the shortest possible time,” he said. Appealing to the Meiteis and Kukis, he said: "Please leave violence, come and talk to India... Come and talk to us together.” Shah also slammed the Opposition for not having a discussion over this ‘sensitive’ issue. “From day one I was ready for the discussion on the Manipur issue but Opposition never wanted to do a discussion. If they would have not been satisfied with my points, then they should have demanded the PM’s statement. But, the Opposition was not ready to have the discussion,” Shah said in the Lower House. He further said that during the past six years of the BJP government in Manipur, there was never a requirement for a curfew. “The opposition doesn't want me to speak but they can't silence me. You have to listen to me. 130 cr people have elected us so they have to listen to us...It has been almost six years since BJP formed a government there. During the past six years of our government, the need for a curfew never rose,' Shah said while speaking on the no-confidence motion in the Lower House. Amit Shah also said that Tahawwur Rana, an accused of the 26/11 Mumbai attack will face the Indian judiciary soon. Shah highlighted the measures taken by the Modi government to curb terrorism and Naxalism. “We banned PFI in the country and conducted raids at over 90 locations in the country. Cases regarding attacks on our missions in London, Ottawa and San Francisco were handed over to NIA (National Investigation Agency). 26/11 Tahawwur Hussain Rana will also soon face the judiciary in India,” Shah said. Rana was arrested in the US on an extradition request by India for his role in the Mumbai attacks in which 10 Pakistani terrorists laid a more than 60-hour siege, attacking and killing over 160 people, including six Americans, at iconic and vital locations in Mumbai. “In the view of internal security, there used to be three hotspots- Kashmir, the region of Naxals and Northeast and it continued to be the same for years. We changed our policies towards Kashmir in 2014. From 2014 to 19, Rajnath Singhji was Home Minister, and after that, I became Home Minister. We eradicated terrorism in the region,” Shah said. "Naxals limited to only 3 districts in Chhattisgarh now...," he added. Hitting out at the previous government at Centre, Shah said that the UPA government was there from 2004 to 2014 and terrorists would just enter across the border and cut our soldiers' heads off, no one did anything about it. “Article 370 was a mistake by the Jawaharlal Nehru government. It was abrogated by this parliament on August 5 and 6, 2019. With that, two flags and two constitutions were gone from Kashmir and PM Modi ensured its complete integration into the country," he added. He further said that there is a request to have a discussion with the Hurriyat, Jamiat and Pakistan, but the Centre will not do so. “We will talk to the youth of Kashmir valley, not Hurriyat, Jamiat and Pakistan. Youth of valley are our own and we will talk to them. Funeral processions are no longer taken out for terrorists and they are buried where they are killed,’ Shah said. Shah, while hitting out at the Opposition for moving a no-confidence motion against the Modi government, said that the motion was only to create a delusion despite having a majority in the House and termed it as "politically motivated". “The Prime Minister has given new hope to the poor of this country. Nowhere in this country is there a whiff of no-confidence. There is not a no-confidence in the PM and this government in the country. People have complete faith in PM. This no-confidence motion has been brought only to create a delusion.... This no-confidence motion is politically motivated," Amit Shah said while participating in the debate on No-confidence motion in Lok Sabha. Amit Shah further said that after independence, it is the only PM Modi led-government which has won the trust of most people in the country and added that PM Modi is the most popular leader who works tirelessly for the welfare of the people. “After Independence, PM Modi's government is the only one which won the trust of most of the people. PM Modi is the most popular leader among the public...PM Modi works tirelessly for the people of the country. He works continuously for 17 hours a day, without taking a single leave. People trust him”, the Home Minister said in the House. Union Minister Rajnath Singh confirmed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will reply to the motion on tomorrow.

“Adhe Congress ke hi hai inme…” When Mallikarjun Kharge tickled HM Shah’s funny bone

Congress Prez Mallikarjun Kharge’s rib-tickling jibe at BJP-ruled Centre has yet again left the entire House in stitches. During his address at Rajya Sabha, the Congress Chief made a witty dig at BJP MPs, stating, “Half of them were from Congress.” Not only did he lampooned BJP MPs, but also he launched a comical jibe at Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar.

Badshah, Payal Dev’s new song ‘Gone Girl’ unveiled

Mumbai (Maharashtra): After ‘Genda Phool’ and ‘Issa Vibe’, singing sensations Badshah and Payal Dev have now come up with a new song titled ‘Gone Girl’. In the new track, Badshah revisits the essence of his quintessential old school commercial soundscape, captivating audiences once again.Speaking about it, Badshah in a statement said,“It’s great to team up with Payal Dev once again on ‘Gone Girl’. This upbeat single is an ode to my musical history and sets the tone of what I want to achieve with my upcoming releases: going back to my roots! I am grateful for the love and support of my fans, who have been my day ones throughout this incredible journey and ‘Gone Girl’ is my way of thanking them. Get ready to experience the ‘B’ in banger.” The song pairs Badshah's irresistibly slick demeanour with Payal's captivating vocals, resulting in a bonafide dancefloor banger filled with lively melodies, bombastic beats, pop-forward vocals, gripping lyrics, and infectious energy.

Delhi LG Saxena, CM Kejriwal inaugurate Shaheedi Park, India’s first outdoor Waste to Art museum

New Delhi : Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, Vinai Kumar Saxena and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday inaugurated the MCD’s Shaheedi park- India’s first outdoor museum park weaving the magic of Waste to Art at ITO. Shaheedi Park is dedicated to the national heroes of India and it showcases the famous personalities who laid down their lives for the independence and sovereignty of the country in different periods. The park is spread over an area of 4.5 acres and comprises a wide variety of attractions that showcase our rich historical and cultural heritage. It houses beautiful motifs, monuments and installations that commemorate important events, prominent individuals and historical periods that shaped our country. The park was developed at Shaheedi Park, ITO under the "Waste to Art" initiative by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi. The sculptures have been made from scrap such as old trucks, cars, electric poles, pipes, angle iron and rickshaws etc. collected by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi. For the creation of sculptures, 10 visionary artists alongwith 700 artisans worked together and completed the work in just 06 months. Approx 250 tons of scrap is utilized for making sculptures. To enhance the beauty of the park approx 56 thousand trees and shrubs like Champa, Kachnar, Ficus spp., Syngonium etc. have been planted. The 4.5-acre park has been developed with the cost of Rs 15 Crore approx. The park has the provision of souvenirs shop and food kiosk for providing better recreational avenues to visitors. 9 sets and 3 galleries have been developed in the park including 93 2D sculptures and 20 3D sculptures. LG VK Saxena said that I feel proud to be here. “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav Park” is before us today as a new permanent asset in Delhi. On this occasion, he thanked the Government of India, by whom this park has been constructed and developed with a budget of Rs 15 crores. He said that “under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Government of India has been continuously providing all possible assistance for the rejuvenation and development of Delhi. Like UER, the redevelopment of Delhi's railway stations, the Karkardooma TOD project, all of these will provide unprecedented development opportunities for the people of Delhi. Similarly, Bharat Vandana Park is being developed by DDA in Dwarka at a cost of 560 crores, which will give a new look to the capital.” “We all need to learn from the unique method of Waste to Wonder that MCD has put before the country. The permanent assets that Delhi is getting through such parks are adding to the beauty of Delhi. MCD is also making efforts to build a similar theme-based park in East Delhi soon, which will be Bollywood based. A glimpse of the country's golden era will also be seen in Shaheedi Park. The fascinating idols of great persons ranging from King Porus, Chanakya-Chandragupt, Emperor Ashoka to Mihir Bhoj and Rajendra Chola are present here.” LG said. He added that, “This was the period when our country was counted as the best country in the world. At that time, we were not only ahead of other countries in splendor and prosperity, but also in the field of education. Many historians of the world have also mentioned our golden age in their books. Apart from this, information is available here from 1282 to 1763 about Maharana Hamir Dev, Rana Kumbha, Prithviraj Chauhan etc. In the later period, you will come to know about the Maratha Empire's Veer Shivaji to Mahadji Scindia and Sikh Empire's Banda Bahadur to Hari Singh Nalwa.” “This park is telling the story of the first rebellion of 1857 for independence of the country, mass movement, freedom struggle, culture and social awareness, Swadeshi movement and Satyagraha, independence of India and integration of various princely states. All these developments have been shown very beautifully in this park. There are also shops and food kiosks.” LG further added. LG concluded, “The G-20 conference is going to be held in Delhi in September and the foreign guests who will come to Delhi during this period will also get a glimpse of it." He urged more and more people to visit this park. CM Arvind Kejriwal said that, “This is a wonderful park. I congratulate all the officers and staff of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi for this wonderful initiative. He said that the foundation stone of this magnificent park was laid by the Lieutenant Governor and within a year this park was prepared, which is remarkable. He further said that the way the country's rich culture and great history is shown in this park is very impressive & inspiring. CM Kejriwal said that just as people visiting Chandigarh must see Rock Garden, similarly Shaheedi Park will also give a new identity to National Capital Delhi and people will come to see Shahidi Park as they visit Red Fort, Jama Masjid. CM also said that the theme of the park is so inspiring that school children of Delhi will be brought to this park. It will install the spirit of patriotism amongst them. He suggested that entry may be made free for school children. He also said that the initiative of creating the Shaheedi Park will help augment the revenue of the MCD while promoting the spirit of patriotism amongst school children. While complementing the good works of MCD, CM said that the Municipal Corporation of Delhi should further focus on improving sanitation and eradicating corruption. He said that the corporation has also started efforts in this direction and these efforts have also yielded positive results as can be seen in the revenue results of the first quarter. The corporation's revenue has increased this year as compared to the first quarter of the last year. He said that the Corporation has been undertaking many such projects which will increase the revenue of the Corporation and the MCD will come out of the problem of paucity of funds. He said that our aim is to make Delhi a clean and beautiful city and we will definitely achieve this goal with the participation of the citizens. On this occasion, Mayor Shelly Oberoi informed that the Municipal Corporation of Delhi is working from cleaning to beautifying 15,000 parks so that the citizens of Delhi can be provided with the best facilities. She said that the Municipal Corporation of Delhi is working to beautify Delhi under the guidance of the Chief Minister so that the citizens can be provided with better facilities along with a better city.

"I can say with guarantee that 100 pc...," Telangana CM exudes confidence in retaining power

Hyderabad (Telangana): Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Sunday exuded confidence that his party will retain power in Telangana by winning the upcoming Assembly polls that are scheduled to be held later this year, saying party will secure an increase of seven to eight seats compared to the number of seats it won in the last polls. "I can say with guarantee that 100 per cent, we will win seven or eight seats more than last elections, no one needs to doubt it," KCR said ahead of the upcoming Telangana assembly elections this year. In 2018 elections, the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) won 88 seats and in 2014 it won 63 seats. Telangana will go to assembly elections later this year along with Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Mizoram.Earlier today, the Telangana Legislative Assembly adjourned sine die for the fourth day of the monsoon session. Assembly Speaker Pocharam Srinivas Reddy announced the sine die adjournment of the House. The last session of the Telangana legislative assembly in this term (2018-2023) started on August 3. The Budget Session of the Telangana Legislative Assembly will begin on February 3. It was the last Budget session for the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government led by Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, as the state assembly elections are scheduled to be held later this year.

“Sitting at the right place…” says Amit Shah as he shares stage with Maharashtra Dy CM Ajit Pawar

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on shared the dais with Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar at an event in Maharashtra's Pune and said the latter is at the “right place”. “Ajit Dada (Pawar) has come for the first time after becoming the Deputy CM and I am sharing the stage with him, I want to tell him that after a long time, you are sitting at the right place. This was the right place but you took too long to come,” said Amit Shah.

Mamata Banerjee practices "politics of appeasement": Suvendu Adhikari

Kolkata (West Bengal) : BJP MLA and West Bengal Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari on Sunday accused Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of practising "politics of appeasement" in the name of "secularism". "Mamata Banerjee practices politics of appeasement...The kind of appeasement politics Mamata Banerjee is practising in the name of secularism is very bad for the country and for Bengal," Adhikari said. The senior BJP leader also accused Banerjee of making West Bengal the "hub of antinational forces" and not giving land to the Border Security Force (BSF) in 72 locations. "Mamata Banerjee has made West Bengal the hub of anti-national forces. This is why the state government has not given land to BSF in 72 places. There are 72 places adjoining Bangladesh where there is no fencing or BSF chowkies. Instead, they say that BSF are rapists, they abuse CRPF...," Adhikari said. He further accused the West Bengal Chief Minister of paying salaries to Imams but neglecting tribal chiefs like the Rajabansi community chief, Motua community gosai or even the Brahmin pandits. "Mamata Baenrjee pays salaries to Imam. We do not have any problem with that. She is giving Rs 2500, she may even increase that to Rs 5000-10,000. However, the Rajabansi community chief or the Motua community gosai does not get any stipend, our Brahmin pandits do not receive any, our tribal chieftains do not get any....her vision should be equal," the senior BJP leader said. Adhikari accused the Banerjee government of inflicting violence on the Hindu community during festivals through "her goons." "Mamata Banerjee is communal. Her goons rioted during Ram Navami processions in Dalkhola. In Rishra, her goons inflicted violence upon Ram bhakts. In Howrah Shibpur, her goons attacked those raising slogans of Jai Shree Ram," Adhikari alleged. The West Bengal Leader of Opposition further alleged that police had blockaded temples during Muharram and Kanwariyas had to take a longer route because the police blockade. "A few days earlier during Muhurram, no one from the Minorities community asked to stop mandirs. However, Mamatajis police in Kalichowk, in Diamond Harbour and in Rishra barricaded Hindu temples. This does not happen anywhere in the country. Our Jal Abhishek is going on in the month of Shravan. Kanwariyas had to take a longer route to Tarakeshwar because police blockaded them," Adhikari said. Suvendu Adhikari accused the TMC government of helping Bangladeshis find their way through West Bengal. "They are helping in the spread of Rohingyas throughout the country. The accused of the Indore sex racket were from Bangladesh and found their way through West Bengal. The one who was arrested in the Delhi Jahangirpuri violence last year was from West Bengal. Now the violence that is going on in Haryana, you may find that...," Adhikari said. The senior BJP leader said that these forces need to be "uprooted" and the BJP government should be brought in the state. "They should be uprooted from here and made into double engine," Adhikari said in a reference to states which have BJP governments in place.

Pakistan: 25 dead, 80 injured after 10 coaches of Hazara Express derail near Sindh

A passenger train, ‘Hazara’ derailed on August 6 near Sahar Railway Station in southern Pakistan. Around 10 bogies were derailed near a town in the southern province of Sindh. At least 25 people lost their lives and 80 others suffered injuries, reported Geo News. The victims were rushed to People's Medical Hospital in Nawabshah, Sindh. Meanwhile, ambulances reached the site to provide medical aid and food facilities to the rescued passengers. Authorities fear more injuries as the ill-fated train is said to be carrying a large number of people. Train operations to and from the interior districts of Sindh have been suspended. As per Pak Railway authorities, restoration works may take up to 18 hours. As per officials, the cause behind the derailment is not known yet, reported Geo News. The accident came just a day after three coaches of Allama Iqbal Express derailed, but no one suffered injuries. Earlier in June this year, the engine of Green Line Express derailed in Pakistan's Ghotki.

Owaisi slams Akhilesh Yadav’s remark on saving real Hindutva, asks, “Why are you befooling Muslims?”

Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh) : All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Sunday hit out at Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav for befooling Muslims in Uttar Pradesh by saying that he wants to save "real Hindutva". Speaking to ANI, the AIMIM chief said, "Akhilesh Yadav said that it is necessary to save real 'Hindutva'. In the Legislative Assembly elections, he got one-sided Muslim votes...now he is saying that it is necessary to save real Hindutva. Why are you befooling Muslims in Uttar Pradesh?" Referring to Akhilesh Yadav as a 'middleman', Owaisi said that though Yadav bagged the Muslim vote in the state, the BJP won the election. However, Owaisi said that in the current political circumstances, when the BJP is oppressing the Muslim community, Akhilesh wishes to save 'real Hindutva'. "The middleman betrayed the Muslims in Uttar Pradesh by saying that they have to defeat the BJP and then they voted for Akhilesh. But the BJP won the election. Now when BJP is trying to marginalise and target Muslims in the entire country, Akhilesh Yadav is saying that he wants to save real Hindutva," Asaduddin Owaisi said. In an attack at the Samajwadi Party chief, Owaisi said, "Doesn't he want to save secularism or the Constitution? How can Hindutva, secularism and Constitution be together?" Lambasting the Samajwadi Party chief for "playing with Muslims", Owaisi said, "...I am saying from the beginning that the politics of Akhilesh revolves around playing with the Muslims, the minorities in Uttar Pradesh, just to betray them." The AIMIM chief said that Muslims in Uttar Pradesh need to understand that they need to have an "independent political voice". "That is why Muslims in Uttar Pradesh need to understand that they need to have an independent political voice of their own. How long will you continue supporting these traitors who talk about saving real Hindutva?" Owaisi stressed that Muslims need to think about how can Hindutva and Constitution be together. "How can Hindutva and Ambadkar's Constitution, Hindutva and ideals of fraternity, liberty, equality merge? You need to think about these," the AIMIM chief said.

“You kill our 3 jawans, we will kill 50,” Defence expert demands a tough response to Pakistan

After three Indian Army soldiers were killed during an encounter late on Friday in Kulgam, defence expert Major General (Retired) SP Sinha opined that India should give a stern response to Pakistan. “Our message should be, you kill three jawans of ours, we will kill 50. If we maintain this 3:50 ratio, Pakistan will see writing on the wall,” said Sinha while talking to ANI. Security forces have launched drones to locate a group of three to four terrorists hiding in the Halan Heights area in Kulgam. In the encounter that is ongoing in the area, Indian Army’s Para Special Forces have also been moved into the area for search and destroy mission, sources in the security forces said. Security forces had launched a joint operation in the area in dense vegetation with a lot of undergrowth after agencies received inputs about the presence of a group of three to four terrorists, they said. The security forces are carrying out intensified search operations to neutralize terrorists, they said. On Friday, the search operation turned into an encounter after terrorists fired at the security forces who retaliated. In the exchange of fire, three security forces personnel were injured, the official said, adding, they succumbed during treatment. "Operation Halan #Kulgam. On specific inputs regarding the presence of terrorists on higher reaches of Halan in Kulgam, operations launched by Security Forces on 04 Aug 23. In exchange of firing with terrorists, three personnel sustained injuries and later succumbed. Search operations are continuing," Srinagar-based Chinar Corps of the Army said in a tweet.

“I am feeling lunar gravity,” Chandrayaan-3 successfully inserted into the lunar orbit

Chandrayaan-3 has been successfully inserted into the lunar orbit, informed the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on August 5. A retro-burning at the Perilune was commanded from the Mission Operations Complex (MOX), ISTRAC, Bengaluru. The next operation - reduction of orbit – is scheduled for Aug 6, 2023, around 23:00 Hrs. IST.

“Most anti-Muslim entity…” Baloch PM-in-exile Naela Quadri Baloch exposes Pakistan’s atrocities

Professor Naela Quadri Baloch, Balochistan’s PM-in-exile, has called Pakistan a slayer and not a saviour of Muslims due to its continuing atrocities in Balochistan, Sindh and occupied territories of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, including Gilgit Baltistan. The women right activist also exposed Pakistan’s role in making Indian Muslims a “vulnerable” community. In an exclusive interview with ANI, Professor Naela Quadri Baloch said, “When they (Pakistan) are trying to be champions of Islam they think the world is blind or they can manipulate the world. If there is any entity and most anti-Muslim entity on this earth, it is Pakistan. They are the people who divided the Muslims of India. They are the people who made Muslims of India a vulnerable community because they started hatred because somebody who is a Muslim, Hindu or Sikh – they are the Indians. But, who created that? It’s basically the ideology of Pakistan,” she added. The Professor added, “So, they made Muslims of India vulnerable actually. And killing Balochs, the one who taught them how to say Kalma, they are killing Baloch with impunity. And not only Baloch, but they also killed the founders of Pakistan – Bangladesh. 30 million Bangladeshis they have killed and in Afghanistan 4 million Afghans they have killed. So, they are Muslims. Even, they killed Muslims in Jordan. Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq as a Pakistani mercenary has killed 25,000 Palestinians. 10,000 of them were killed in one night. I repeat that if anyone is more anti-Muslim in this world, it is Pakistan. So, they can’t be champions of Islam. They are the manipulators. They are good actors.”

Karnataka Health Minister praises Delhi's Mohalla Clinics, changes stance after receiving mysterious phone call: AAP sources

New Delhi: Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao praised Delhi's Mohalla Clinics during a visit, but changed his stance after receiving a mysterious phone call, said AAP sources on Friday. Health Minister of Karnataka Dinesh Gundu Rao paid a visit to Delhi's Aam Aadmi Mohalla Clinic in Panchsheel Park. During a media conversation, he initially praised the Mohalla Clinic. He toured the Mohalla Clinic with Delhi's Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj, AAP sources said. The Health Minister of Karnataka said that he wanted to see how the Delhi government was implementing its health policies. He observed that the Mohalla Clinic was functioning effectively. Mohalla Clinics have been operational for the last six-seven years, and people have appreciated their services, he said. As per AAP sources, the Karnataka Health Minister mentioned that he learned many things during this visit and planned to visit clinics in Karnataka to improve their systems. Health is a crucial sector, and learning from each other is necessary for all, he said as per AAP sources. However, AAP sources said that later Dinesh Gundu Rao received a phone call following which he mentioned an important meeting and left the location. A while later, he tweeted criticising the Mohalla Clinic. However, only Dinesh Rao can clarify why his statement changed from praising the Mohalla Clinic to criticising it after the phone call, AAP sources said. In his tweet, he claimed that Namma Clinic in Karnataka had better infrastructure than Mohalla Clinic. To verify this claim, Aam Aadmi Party's Karnataka team visited a Namma Clinic in his constituency. The AAP Karnataka team stated that they visited the Namma Clinic in Dinesh Gundu Rao's constituency of Gandhi Nagar. They found that both Namma Clinic and Primary Health Center were located adjacent to each other, AAP sources said. People mentioned that the Primary Health Center had been closed for a long time, AAP sources said. Namma Clinic, in reality, is just a name, they said. It was initiated by the BJP government. The clinic provides only primary treatment for some illnesses like fever, AAP sources said adding that patients are referred to other hospitals, including Kesi General Hospital, from there, they said. Delhi's Mohalla Clinics are well-equipped, and treatment is provided free of cost. Numerous tests are conducted free of charge in Delhi's Mohalla Clinics. MBBS doctors are present in Mohalla Clinics, providing medicines for various illnesses, AAP sources said. Delhi's Mohalla Clinics have world-class facilities. According to the Aam Aadmi Party, it's unfortunate that Karnataka's Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao visited Delhi's Mohalla Clinic and observed its world-class facilities and subsequently, he tweeted praising Namma Clinic as better than Mohalla Clinic. Namma Clinic has hygiene issues, while the operations of Mohalla Clinics are monitored by a private agency, AAP sources said. The claim made by the Health Minister that Namma Clinic's infrastructure is superior to Mohalla Clinic is false, they said adding that Namma Clinic lacks good facilities.

“Stopping terrorism is like …” Baloch PM-in-exile trains guns at Pak; exposes ‘nuclear terrorism’

Amid the surging protests in Balochistan, and other provinces in Pakistan against the Shehbaz govt, Balochistan’s PM-in-exile Professor Naela Quadri Baloch on Aug 04 exposed ‘nuclear terrorism’ by Pakistan. The Baloch politician also dismissed any possibility of bilateral talks between India and Pakistan. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s economy continues to bleed despite IMF’s USD 3 Billion bailout. The surging inflation and food scarcity continue to break the spines of already agonised people. Moreover, the Pakistan govt is looking at a USD 25 billion debt repayment hurdle in the year starting July, as per sources.

"Victory for democracy," Siddaramaiah's reaction on SC's stay on Rahul's conviction

Bengaluru (Karnataka) : Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday termed the Supreme Court's stay on Rahul Gandhi's conviction in a 2019 defamation case "a victory for democracy", adding that, by the order, the court has upheld the freedom of expression as stated in the Constitution. "The Supreme Court has upheld the freedom of expression as stated in the Constitution. Rahul Gandhi has got justice and it is a victory for democracy," Siddaramaiah said while speaking to the media. "Everyone should respect the law of the land and the Supreme Court has done a respectable job of upholding the law," the Chief Minister added. The Supreme Court on Friday stayed the conviction of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in the criminal defamation case over the 'Modi” surname' remark while saying that person in public life is expected to exercise caution while making public speeches. The apex court, while granting relief to Gandhi, said the ramifications of the trial court’s order are wide. Not only was Gandhi’s right to continue in public life affected but also that of the electorate who elected him, the bench said.Congress leader was sentenced to two years in jail on March 23 under sections 499 and 500 (defamation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in a case filed by Purnesh Modi. At a rally in Karnataka's Kolar in April 2019, Rahul Gandhi, in a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said, "How come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname?"

“Govt taking stringent action against those indulging in vandalism, spreading violence”: Haryana Deputy CM

New Delhi: Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala on Wednesday said that the state government is taking stringent action against those who indulged in vandalism during the Nuh violence. While addressing a press conference here in the national capital, Haryana Deputy Chief Minister said that the state government has taken action over the incidents in Mewat which has claimed six lives. "Haryana Government took action over the incident in Mewat. Paramilitary was deployed and a permanent battalion of the India Reserve Battalion (IRB) is also deployed there. The situation is under control today...Peace meetings have been held and I believe that all of us should do our duty to maintain peace...More than 40 FIRs have been registered, over 100 people were taken under Police custody and more than 90 people have even been arrested,” Chautala said. “Haryana Government is taking stringent action against those who indulged in vandalism and spread violence," Chautala added. Earlier in the day, Chautala said the yatra organisers in Nuh did not provide complete information to the district administration, which resulted in the violence. "The yatra organisers did not give complete information about the procession to the district administration, which resulted in the violence. Strict action will follow against those responsible for the incident," Chautala told reporters. Meanwhile, the curbs on the movement of traffic were lifted and schools and colleges returned to normal functioning as the situation normalised in Nuh district, an official informed on Wednesday. Clashes between two groups broke out in Nuh on Monday afternoon after a religious procession passing through the district came under attack, leaving two home guards dead and dozens of people — including around 20 policemen — injured in the frenzy of violence that followed. Following the incidents of violence in Nuh Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Wednesday said that no accused will be spared and strict and justice for the victims and their families will be ensured. “Strict and decisive action will be taken against anyone found guilty of involvement in the Nuh violence. No one will be spared. Justice for the victims and their families will be ensured,” he said, adding no action will be taken against those who are innocent. Calling the violence that broke out in Nuh as “unfortunate” he said that the incident had led to the deaths of six people, including four civilians and two Home Guard personnel.

‘Rioters will have to pay for damage’ CM Khattar’s warning to culprits of Nuh mayhem

Amid the prevailing tensions in various parts of Haryana following violence in Nuh, Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar on Aug 02 made a big announcement in the wake of the Nuh violence. Addressing a Press Conference, CM Khattar announced that those who caused the loss are liable to compensate for it. Also, taking to his Twitter Handle, CM Khattar said, “Every damage done there will be compensated by the rioters” Apart from announcements related to loss and damage, CM Khattar briefed on the death toll and arrests in Nuh violence. Haryana CM also assured that the culprits of the massive destruction would not be spared. Haryana is experiencing widespread violence after a group of miscreants pelted stones and set cars on fire during a religious procession in Nuh. Six persons, including two homeguards, were killed, and several others were subjected to major injuries. Section 144 has been imposed and mobile internet services have been suspended in Nuh.

Post offices to sell national flag for 'Har Ghar Tiranga' initiative

New Delhi : To instil a feeling of patriotism in the hearts of people, India Post will sell and facilitate the national flag through its 1.6 lakh post offices to celebrate 'Har Ghar Tiranga' campaign, Ministry of Communications said in a release. Government of India under the aegis of 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav (AKAM)' introduced the 'Har Ghar Tiranga' Campaign last year. The campaign was immense success in 2022 where 23 crore households hoisted the Tiranga at their homes physically and six crore people uploaded selfies on HGT Website, the release said. The Department of Posts (DoP) took this campaign to the last mile and ensured the availability of the national flag in the remotest corner of the country, it said. “To continue this zeal and patriotism, the Government is organising the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign between 13–15 August, 2023. It has been decided to leverage the vast physical network of 1.6 lakh post offices in the country and to ensure sale of flags under the campaign through all the post offices in the country,” the release said. The sale of flags in the post offices will start soon and citizens can walk in to their nearby post office to purchase the flag, it said. Citizens will also be able to purchase the national flag through the ePostOffice facility (www.epostoffice.gov.in) of the department. “The Post Office will also organise a number of awareness activities (Jan Bhagidari events) to connect citizens to this program of national importance. Citizens may participate in these activities and become a part of this great initiative of New India,” it added.

Installation of over 3 lakh 5G sites signifies landmark achievement: PM Modi

New Delhi : Reiterating the commitment to bring cutting-edge technology to every corner of the nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday that the successful installation of over 3 lakh 5G sites across several districts signifies a landmark achievement in India's technological journey. “India surges ahead in digital connectivity! The successful installation of over 3 lakh 5G sites across several districts signifies a landmark achievement in our technological journey. This rapid 5G rollout underscores our commitment to bring cutting-edge technology to every corner of the nation, transforming lives and catalyzing progress,” the Prime Minister tweeted, responding to the tweet by Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw about World’s second-largest 5G ecosystem. The Prime Minister launched 5G services on October 1, 2022, and within 10 months, over 3 lakh sites covering 714 districts has been installed. The 5G network is now available in all 28 states and 8 UTs. This is one of the world's fastest 5G rollouts. "India is experiencing a Telecom Kranti under Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's leadership. With one site installed every minute, the 5G rollout has been one of the fastest in the world,” Ashwini Vaishnav had said. In August 2022, the government issued spectrum allocation letters to telecom service providers, instructing them to prepare for the country's 5G launch. The Department of Telecom received bids totalling Rs 1.50 lakh crore from the 5G spectrum auction. 5G is a fifth-generation mobile network capable of transferring enormous amounts of data at high speeds.

"Rajiv Gandhi had Mr Clean image, we are seeing the same in PM Modi": Ajit Pawar

Pune (Maharashtra): In an apparent comparison with former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, NCP leader Ajit Pawar on Tuesday said that PM Modi has an image similar to "Mr Clean" image that the Congress leader had. Ajit Pawar said that it is a matter of pride for the country as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is being respected globally by world leaders. "In today's time, there is no leader who has popularity like PM Modi... If you see his work in the last nine years various development work has been done, and we are getting huge recognition on the world stage under his leadership," Ajit Pawar said. He further said, "Like Rajiv Gandhi who had an image of Mr Clean, we are seeing the same in PM Modi. PM works for 18 hours out of 24 hours." "He committed himself to the nation. Therefore I don't see any other leader in today's time who has more popularity than PM Modi," Ajit Pawar said. Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was honoured with the Lokmanya Tilak National Award in Pune. Upsetting his allies and leaders of the I.N.D.I.A opposition alliance, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) stalwart Sharad Pawar shared stage with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Maharashtra on Tuesday.At the start of the event, PM Modi walked up to the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) veteran. As the two leaders had a "candid conversation", Sharad Pawar grinned and patted the Prime Minister. After receiving the award, the PM said on stage that he will donate the prize money to the Namami Gange project. Later, the PM flagged off metro services and laid the foundation stone of various projects worth Rs 15,000 crore. "Our government is working towards improving the quality of life of the people," Modi added. PM Modi on Tuesday said it was a memorable moment for him to be conferred with Lokmanya Tilak National Award. Referring to Lokmany Tilak’s faith in the youth of the country, the Prime Minister recalled his mentoring of Veer Savarkar and his recommendation to Shyamji Krishna Varma who was running two scholarships in London - Chatrapati Shivaji Scholarship and Maharana Pratap Scholarship. The establishment of New English School, Fergusson College and Deccan Education Society in Pune is part of that vision. “Vision of system building to institution building, institution building to individual building, and individual building to nation building is like a roadmap for a nation's future and the country is following this roadmap in an effective manner”, the Prime Minister said. The Award was constituted by Tilak Smarak Mandir Trust in 1983, to honour the legacy of Lokmanya Tilak. With this award, PM Modi became the 41st recipient of the award. Earlier on Tuesday, PM Modi reached Pune as part of a day-long visit. He reached Shreemant Dagdusheth Halwai Mandir in Pune and offered prayers and also flagged off metro trains and inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of various development projects, the official statement from the PMO said.

“Game of Ludo and Chess…” When Owaisi’s jibe at Opposition made Amit Shah burst into laughter

New Delhi: AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi’s jibe at Opposition during his Lok Sabha address left Home Minister Amit Shah in chortle. Launching a jibe at the Opposition, Owaisi thanked the Opposition for letting the house function without PM Modi. Owaisi said a game of “Chess and Ludo” is being played among Centre and Opposition. He made these remarks while expressing his views on the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill.

Nuh clashes part of 'bigger conspiracy': Haryana CM Khattar

Nuh (Gurugram) : Amid the clashes in Haryana that broke out between two groups in Nuh district in which five people lost their lives, chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar said that it is clear that there was a "well thought out conspiracy behind the clashes" as the anti-social elements didn’t just target members of the procession but also the cops. The security has been strengthened in the adjoining districts of Nuh — Faridabad, Palwal, and Gurugram — in light of the violence. Meanwhile, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar called the incident “unfortunate” and said that clashes broke out at several places and that a big conspiracy seems behind the violence. A total of five people have died including two home guards who were shot dead after after a clash broke out on Monday. "This is an unfortunate incident. A Yatra was being organised during which some people conspired an attack Yatris and the police. Violent incidents were reported at several places. There seems to be a big conspiracy behind this,” said Khattar. Post the clashes between the two groups in Nuh, a curfew has been imposed in the area. “Heavy police have been deployed in Nuh district and nearby areas. Curfew has also been imposed in Nuh and Section 144 has been imposed in some places. Around 44 FIRs have been registered and 70 people have been taken into custody. Strict actions will be taken against them,” added Khattar. Further assuring assistance to the victims of the deceased, Khattar appealed to locals to maintain peace and said, “So far 5 people have lost their lives including two police officials. We will provide all possible assistance to them. I appeal to the common people to maintain peace in the district." Meanwhile, Aam Admi Party (AAP) MP Sanjeev Arora issued a notice to Rajya Sabha seeking a short-duration discussion on August 2 over the recent communal violence that has erupted in the Nuh area in Haryana. AAP MP Sanjeev Arora in his notice emphasised that the violence has spread to Gurugram and Central government should take immediate steps to restore law and order in the region. "I am deeply concerned about the recent communal violence that erupted in the Nuh area and later spread to Gurgaon, resulting in the loss of lives of three security personnel and injuries to many others. I condemn this act of violence and appeal for peace and harmony among all communities," the notice read. "I also express my solidarity with the people who are trapped in Narhar temple and urge the authorities to rescue them as soon as possible. The situation in Gurgaon is alarming, as internet services have been suspended, prohibitory orders have been imposed, vehicles have been torched and shops vandalized. I urge the government to take immediate steps to restore law and order, ensure the safety and security of all citizens, and initiate a dialogue with all stakeholders to address the underlying issues that led to this conflict," it added. Moreover, Additional Director General of Police Mamta Singh said that Nuh was the main affected area and no big incidents have happened outside Nuh. ADGP Singh said, "Nuh was the main affected area...outside Nuh, no big incidents have happened...there were small incidents of violence, we have registered FIR and an investigation is underway." The ADGP also appealed to the people to come forward with any information that can help them in the investigation. "We have arrested a large number of people. We have appealed to everyone to come forward if they have any information that can help us in the investigation or identify the rioters," ADGP Singh said on Nuh clashes. Earlier, Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij said the situation in Nuh, which saw clashes between two groups, was under control, adding that unidentified miscreants likely engineered and masterminded the violence.

“What is it they are trying to hide…?” Piyush Goyal on continuous logjam in Parliament over Manipur

Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha Piyush Goyal on July 31 targetted the opposition leaders for creating the continuous logjam in the parliament over the Manipur issue.

“Can't call this INDIA, they want to mislead people”: Yogi Adityanath hits out at opposition alliance

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh): Hitting out at opposition parties who have named their alliance as I.N.D.I.A, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has said that these parties promote "dynasty and casteism" and their “misdeeds” will not be forgotten by people. The Chief Minister said in an interview with ANI that the opposition bloc cannot be called ‘INDIA’. “This is I dot N dot D dot… there is dot behind every letter. By changing your clothes, you cannot get rid of your past deeds. The people are aware of their past. Be it Congress, Samajwadi party (SP), Trinamool Congress (TMC), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) or others. They can’t fool the people," Yogi Adityanath said. Twenty-six opposition political parties from across India have joined hands to form the I.N.D.I.A. coalition — the Indian National Developmental, Inclusive Alliance — to take on the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha election. Yogi Adityanath said the BJP-led NDA has taken several steps for social justice and to empower people. He asked why the UPA government could not take welfare measures such as providing four crore houses to the poor, constructing 12 crore toilets and providing 10 crore Ujjawala scheme connections. Asked about the allegations being levelled by the Opposition that BJP held a meeting with NDA only to counter the Opposition alliance, the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister said that the captain of the NDA is Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is giving leadership to the ruling alliance and the country. He said India’s stature is growing in the world under the NDA government. “Our team captain is Prime Minister Narendra Modi. As captain of Team India, he is leading the country. Whatever we promised in our manifesto and in the Common Minimum Programme, we are adopting for the last nine years,” Yogi Adityanath said. He said that any alliance formed for the compulsion of power and based on dynastic politics cannot serve the people of the country. "Family politics and appeasement cannot result in social justice. The poor man should have a toilet, a house, access to ration and healthcare. The young people should get jobs, while the farmers' life should be happy. Did anyone stop the UPA from doing this? Did anyone stop these parties from doing this in their states?" Adityanath asked. Answering queries, he referred to a video of the Manipur incident that triggered nationwide outrage and said whether it is women in Manipur or Rajasthan or Uttar Pradesh, all citizens should feel safe and secure. “Whether the girl is from Manipur or Rajasthan or Uttar Pradesh, every citizen should get security. This should be the priority of any government. Why was this video (Manipur horror) leaked just a day before the parliament convened? Don’t you see a conspiracy behind this? The idea is to spread instability in the country and defame the country. Those who have trampled on democracy, they are behind this," he said. Yogi Adityanath, who is in his second term as Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, also expressed confidence that BJP-led NDA will win the 2024 polls. “The common people of this country are with the Prime Minister and they are going to re-elect a NDA government led by Narendra Modi in 2024, I have no doubt on this,” UP CM said.

“Opposition was just shedding crocodile tears on Manipur issue…” Nirmala Sitharaman

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman lashed out at Opposition, while speaking to the media persons on July 31. She exclaimed that the Opposition doesn’t want to participate in the discussion on the Manipur issue, today it was proved that the Opposition was just shedding crocodile tears. She said, “Opposition doesn’t want to participate in the discussion on the Manipur issue. Today when this issue was taken up in the Parliament, the Opposition ran away from the discussion. Saddened by the behaviour of the Opposition. Manipur is just a political issue for them (Opposition). Today it was proved that they were just shedding crocodile tears on the Manipur issue. If they genuinely cared, then they would have discussed it.”

Chief Minister Dhami meets PM Modi, seeks approval for Uttarakhand development projects

New Delhi : Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Monday paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi and expressed his gratitude for his guidance and cooperation in the development of Uttarakhand. During the meeting, the Chief Minister presented a shawl made of local hemp fiber Bedu and a replica of Nanda Devi Rajjat's traditional musical instruments as tokens of appreciation. Among the key projects discussed, the Chief Minister emphasized the proposed Dehradun Metro Neo project, aimed at alleviating transport pressure on roads and providing safe transit options. The project's detailed technical study, with two corridors totaling 22.424 km and a cost of Rs 1852.74 crore, has been sent for approval to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development. Expressing gratitude for the Allweather Road Chardham road project, the Chief Minister said that for the works of the Central Road Infrastructure Fund (CRIF) for the year 2023, a total of 155 works received from the public representatives of the state were requested to approve the proposals worth Rs 2550.15 crore. it was done. The ministry has given consent for works worth Rs 250.00 crore. The Chief Minister requested the Prime Minister to get approval for the remaining works.The Chief Minister said that due to the huge increase in the number of tourists in the state over the years, the traffic pressure on the state roads has increased. It is absolutely necessary to upgrade the state roads. In this regard, in-principle consent has been given by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Government of India to upgrade 06 routes as National Highways in the year 2016 itself. Apart from this, it is requested to notify the 189 km Kathgodam-Bhimtal Dhyanachuli-Moranola-Khetikhan Lohaghat-Pancheshwar motor road as a national highway in view of its usefulness for tourism/military traffic and the general public. The Chief Minister said that the construction of a two-lane road from Tanakpur to Pithoragarh on the Indo-Nepal border is under the Chardham project. The border road from Pithoragarh to Lipulekh has been developed by BRO. The section from Gunji village to Jolingkang situated on the Pithoragarh-Lipulekh road has also been developed by BRO. The work of the 02-lane National Highway from Rishikesh to Karnaprayag, Joshimath, Lapthal- Barahoti is also almost complete. At present, there is no such route in the India-China border which directly connects Jolingkang ITBP post in district Pithoragarh to ITBP post-Lapthal in district Chamoli. Therefore, with the construction of strategically important tunnel routes, the distance between the above two border posts will be reduced by 404 km and will also be useful from the point of view of tourism and border management. The Chief Minister said that keeping in view the increasing number of devotees in the mythological temples located in Manaskhand, the work of the overall development of 16 temples is being done in the first phase. In this regard, the process of converting the already constructed 1-lane roads into 02 lanes is in progress. The proceedings of land acquisition, transfer of forest land etc. are being done by the State Government from its own resources. About Rs 1000 crore will be required for the construction work in the first phase. The said funds are requested to be made available to the State Government from any Ministry of the Government of India (Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Government of India, Ministry of Tourism and Ministry of Culture, Government of India). The Chief Minister also discussed with the Prime Minister about various development plans of the state and in relation to roads and transport and informed that works worth Rs 250 crore from CRIF (Central road and infrastructure fund) have been approved by the Ministry of Road Transport. given. Apart from this, the Chief Minister also informed the Prime Minister about the disaster situation and approval of 2000 crores for the construction and repair of roads and bridges in the state and for the movement of tourists in the state, 6 highways have been notified as national state roads. the requested. The Prime Minister was also informed about the situation of the monsoon and the situation of disaster. The Chief Minister also requested the Prime Minister to approve the construction of Song Dam and said that this would solve the drinking water problem of Dehradun city by 2050. The Prime Minister assured that necessary funds would be sanctioned for the Song Dam. The Chief Minister also urged the Prime Minister to participate in the Global Investment Conference proposed in the state in December this year.

“It will be controversial to call it Masjid…” Yogi Adityanath’s strong message amid Gyanvapi dispute

Amid the ongoing court case over Gyanvapi issue, UP CM Yogi Adityanath has made a big statement. In a recent podcast with ANI Editor Smita Prakash, CM Yogi said that it will be controversial to call Gyanvapi a ‘Masjid’. CM Yogi also said that Muslim side must accept that it was a “historical mistake” and should propose a resolution. He said, “There are visible evidences. Why Trishul is there in a mosque? We did not keep it. There are central security forces. Still such evidences are being ignored. There must be a proposal from the Muslim community that a historical mistake has happened and there should be a resolution for it. We have not initiated talks with Muslim community, but we will welcome if they initiate.” Allahabad High Court has asked the Archeological Survey of India not to start the survey of Gyanvapi site. The HC has reserved its decision till August 03 after hearing both sides and ASI’s survey has also been stayed till then.

Andhra govt focusing on educational reforms, says CM Jagan Mohan Reddy

Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh) : Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, this month, focused on taking educational reforms to the next level, a press release from the Chief Minister's office said. The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister instructed the Working Group on Future Technology Skills to work on an action plan to integrate school education reforms with higher education, introduce Artificial Intelligence in curriculum in schools and colleges and change the examination system, the release said. Jagan also laid the foundation stone for the construction of 50,793 houses for the poor in the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) region and sent a clear message that Amaravati would be home for all ushering in an era of social justice. The Chief Minister laid the foundation stone for five food processing units in Chittoor, Satya Sai and Anantapur districts, 7-star Oberoi Hotels at Gandikota, Visakhapatnam, Chittoor Dairy, Medical College and a 300-bed hospital at Chittoor, Virtualmaze Softys and TeknoDome units at Kopparthi. Jagan inaugurated six food processing units in Annamayya, Chittoor, Vizianagaram and Kurnool districts. AIL Dixon Technologies at Kopparthi, YSR Integrated Sports Academy, YSR ISTA Skill Development Centre at Pulivendula, City Forest Park and NuTech Biosciences and the new municipal administrative building in Kadapa.The Cabinet decided to bestow full rights to 66,111 dalits over 63,191acres of assigned lands and distribute 54,129 acres of assigned lands to 46,935 landless farmers afresh, remove Inam lands from Section 22-A and fill existing vacancies in several departments, Government educational institutions and hospitals. The Cabinet also ratified the SIPB approval to allow investments worth Rs. 11647crore for setting up hydro storage power project, solar, wind power units, resorts, food, beverages, coco butter and powder-making units. During review meetings, Jagan directed officials to ensure high quality of ration given to women and lactating mothers and to use drones extensively in agriculture. According to the press statement, the Chief Minister released Rs. 1117.21crore towards insurance claims benefiting 10.20 lakh farmers, Rs.560.73crore under Jagananna Thodu benefiting 5,10,412 small and marginal street vendors, Rs.194crore for Nethanna Nestham for helping handloom weavers, Rs.45.53crore under Jagananna Videshi Vidya Deevena benefiting 357 students and flagged off 146 new ambulances to further strengthen the 108 ambulance services. The Chief Minister called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi and sought their cooperation for the development of the State. He also appealed to the Telugu NRIs to be part of State development by extending financial support and sharing their exposure and experience. With the State witnessing a hectic schedule of Jagananna Surkasha camps for resolving people’s grievances, the Chief Minister also strongly defended the volunteer system and brushed aside the opposition’s allegations, the press release stated. Among the most prominent visitors who called on the Chief Minister in July include Union Minister for Earth Sciences Kiren Rijiju, Sri Lankan Eastern Province Governor Senthil Thondaman and the island nation's Deputy High Commissioner in India Dr D. Venkateswaran, K Raheja Group President Neel Raheja and AP Grama Revenue Officers' Association President Ravindra Raju.

"Waved at me" Mamata Banerjee after meeting former CM Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee at Woodlands Hospital

Kolkata (West Bengal) : West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that former CM Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee who is undergoing treatment at Woodlands Hospital, waved at her when she went to meet her on Monday. "He waved at me, I think he is in stable condition...I think his parameters are more or less okay," Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said after coming out of Woodlands Hospital. "His treatment is going on properly in the hospital and a board has been formulated," she added. One of the doctors from the board standing next to the Chief Minister said that Bhattacharjee was removed from invasive ventilation and put on non-invasive ventilation and his vital parameters are normal. "We have successfully removed him from invasive ventilation just now. We were monitoring his parameters and he has successfully managed to come out of it. Now we have gone back to non-invasive ventilation. After monitoring, we have seen that his vital parameters are stable," the doctor said. The doctor however alerted that the next 24 hours are crucial for the former Chief Minister. "Our medical board has continuously kept him under supervision. We are monitoring his vital parameters every hour. Going by the status till now, we are happy. The next 24 hours are crucial for him, I am optimistic he will overcome," he added. Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee was admitted to Woodlands Hospital on July 29 with a lower respiratory tract infection and Type ll respiratory failure. Woodlands Hospital issued a statement Monday morning saying that Bhattacharjee is on mechanical ventilation and underwent a CT Thorax Monday morning. "Former Chief Minister of West Bengal Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee is on mechanical ventilation. A CT Thorax was done today morning. Relevant conservative medical management is being continued. His overall clinical status remains stable. He was admitted to Woodlands Hospital on July 29 with a lower respiratory tract infection and Type ll respiratory failure," the hospital said. The hospital authorities said that a multidisciplinary medical team is monitoring his medical condition. "A multidisciplinary medical team comprising Dr Kaushik Chakraborty (medicine), Dr Soutik Panda (critical care), Dr Susmita Debnath (critical care), Dr Saroj Mandal (interventional cardiology), Dr Ankan Bandyopadhyay (internal medicine and pulmonology), Dr Dhruba Bhattacharya (internal medicine and critical care), Dr Asis Patra (anesthesiology), Dr Dip Narayan Mukherjee (infectious diseases specialist), Dr Semanti Chakraborty (endocrinology), Dr Somnath Maity (general medicine) and Dr Saptarshi Basu (physician and medical superintendent, Woodlands) is closely monitoring his progress," the hospital said. Earlier on Saturday, Union Minister Anurag Thakur wished for the speedy recovery of the former Chief Minister. "I pray for the speedy recovery of Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee. He has contributed a lot to West Bengal for a long time, may God give him a long life," Union Minister Thakur said while praying for his good health and recovery. West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar also visited former Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee in hospital on Saturday. Representing the Communist Party of India (Marxist), 79-year-old Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee was the Chief Minister of West Bengal from 2000 to 2011.