LIVE: Follow 'Raj Dharma', reduce fuel prices, Sonia Gandhi tells PM Modi

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2:03 AM

PM Modi to inaugurate Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee Institute at IIT Kharagpur today

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee Institute of Medical Sciences and Research at IIT Kharagpur via video conferencing on Tuesday, the Prime Minister's Office said on Sunday.
 

The prime minister will also address the 66th Convocation of IIT Kharagpur, it said.
 

Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, a super speciality hospital, has been set up by the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur with support from the Ministry of Education.
 

Prime Minister Modi will inaugurate Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee Institute of Medical Sciences and Research at IIT Kharagpur and will address the 66th Convocation of IIT Kharagpur on February 23 at 12.30 pm via video conferencing, the PMO said.
 

Governor of West Bengal, Union Education Minister, and Union Minister of State for Education will also be present on the occasion, it said.
 

The Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee Institute is inspired by the vision of the prime minister that the future of India will be shaped by investment in science and innovation and driven by its research talent, the PMO said.
 

2:02 AM

Air Force pilot, student killed in jet crash in Alabama

The US Air Force has said that a flying instructor and a student pilot from the Japanese Air Self Defence Force were killed when a trainer jet crashed in Alabama.
 

The Air Force on Sunday released the name of the instructor who died when the T-38C Talon trainer aircraft crashed Friday near Montgomery, Alabama. He was identified as Scot Ames Jr, a 24-year-old instructor pilot with the 50th Flying Training Squadron at Columbus Air Force Base in Mississippi. He was from Pekin, Indiana.
 

The name of the student pilot is not being released at this time, and will be provided according to Japan's process.
 

The Columbus Air Force Base is home of the 14th Flying Training Wing, The wing's mission is specialised undergraduate pilot training.
 

“We are a close-knit family and the loss of two of our teammates affects us all,” Col. Seth Graham, 14th Flying Training Wing commander, said at a Saturday press conference.
 

2:01 AM

UN nuclear chief says Iran to grant 'less access' to programme

The head of the United Nations' nuclear watchdog says that Iran will begin offering its inspectors “less access” but will still allow the agency to monitor its atomic programme.
 

Rafael Grossi made the comments on arrival to Vienna on late Sunday night. He was careful to say that there still would be the same number of inspectors, but there would be “things we lose.” He did not offer many specifics, but Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that would include blocking the International Atomic Energy Agency from accessing footage on its cameras at nuclear sites.
 

Grossi's had made a trip to Tehran as Iran tries to pressure Europe and the new Biden administration into returning to the 2015 nuclear deal, which former President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew America from in 2018. 
 

2:00 AM

Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas basic mantra of BJP: Modi to party leaders

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas' is the "basic mantra" of the party and its mission is to work for the country and its development.
 

While addressing the first meeting of the BJP's new set of national office-bearers, he also said that keeping this mantra in mind, the government had done "positive work" and highlighted the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and reforms in the agriculture sector.
 

Modi asked members of the BJP to strengthen and expand the party with the motto of 'nation first' as well as to take part in welfare works going beyond politics.

During the meeting, which was chaired by BJP president J P Nadda, the party also passed a resolution lauding the prime minister and the Centre for reforms in the agriculture sector, bringing the three new farm laws and for his able leadership in effective handling of the COVID-19 situation.
 

The prime minister, while defining the BJP's mission to the party leaders, said it is not to achieve power but to serve the nation and make it prosperous, BJP general secretary Bhupender Yadav said at a press conference.
 

"Prime Minister Modi told party leaders that Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas and Sabka Vishwas (with all, development for all and with everyone's trust) is the basic mantra for the BJP and the party is doing positive work such as Goods and Services Tax, reforms in the agriculture sector and others while keeping this mantra in mind," he said The general secretary said that Modi asked party leaders to work for strengthening and expanding the BJP with the motto of "nation first" and told them to take part in welfare works going beyond politics.
 

1:59 AM

Rubina Dilaik wins 'Bigg Boss 14'

TV actor Rubina Dilaik on Sunday beat nemesis and singer Rahul Vaidya to emerge as the winner of reality show "Bigg Boss" season 14.

Dilaik is known for featuring on shows like "Chotti Bahu" and "Shakti - Astitva Ke Ehsaas Ki".
 

Superstar Salman Khan, who is the host of the reality show, announced the winner from the show's set put up in suburban Mumbai's Filmcity.
 

Dilaik, 33, entered the house with her actor-husband Abhinav Shukla and remained an audience favourite right from the show's debut in October.
 

From revelations about her rocky marriage, rivalry with Vaidya to her aggressive attitude, Dilaik was one of the most popular contestants on the show.
 

Besides Dilaik and Vaidya, the other three finalists of the show were actors Nikki Tamboli, Aly Goni and Rakhi Sawant.
 

Tamboli, who re-entered the show after being evicted, was the second runner-up, followed by Goni who stood fourth.
 

Sawant, who was one of the biggest entertainers in the "Bigg Boss" house, was the first to leave during the finale as she took Rs 14 lakh prize money that was up for grabs by the five finalists.
 

8:00 PM

Farm laws are death warrant for farmers: Arvind Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, in a meeting with farmer leaders, on Sunday said that the three farm laws are a "death warrant" to the farmers.

Kejriwal had invited farmer leaders from Western Uttar Pradesh for lunch at the Delhi Assembly.

"The three antifarmer laws are death warrant to the farmers. If these laws are implemented then the agriculture of India will go into the hands of some industrialists and the farmers will be devastated," the CM said.

He added that if these laws are implemented, the the farmers of India will become labourers in their own land.

7:17 PM

Follow 'Raj Dharma', reduce fuel prices: Sonia Gandhi to PM Modi

Accusing the government of "profiteering" off "people's misery", Congress chief Sonia Gandhi on Sunday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over "spiralling" fuel prices, urging him to follow Raj Dharma' and reduce the prices by partially rolling back excise duty.

In a three-page letter to Modi, she said the truth is that as GDP "nosedives", the prices of gas, diesel and petrol continue to rise unchecked.

Gandhi also said governments are elected to ease the burden of people and at the very least, not work directly contrary to their interests.

"I write to you to convey every citizen's anguish and deep distress regarding the spiralling fuel and gas prices. On one hand, India is witnessing systematic erosion of jobs, wages and household income. The middle class and those at the margins of our society are struggling. These challenges have been compounded by runaway inflation and an unprecedented rise in price of almost all household items and essential commodities," the Congress chief said.

"Sadly, in these distressing times, the government has chosen to profiteer off people's misery and suffering," Gandhi said.

6:59 PM

Rahul to campaign in Kerala, Tamil Nadu this week

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will be touring poll-bound Kerala and Tamil Nadu this week to campaign for the party.

Gandhi, who is currently the MP from Wayanad, will be in Kerala on Tuesday. Later in the week, he will be campaiging in Tamil Nadu where the party will contest elections as part of the DMK-led alliance.

Gandhi has already initiated campaigning in Assam, where the polls are also coming, but there is no clarity of his joining campaign in West Bengal where the Left and the Congress have organised a joint rally. Party sources, however, say that on the same day, Gandhi is slated to be in Tamil Nadu.

Congress General Secretary in charge of Kerala Tariq Anwar has already reached the state to prepare for the polls. "I will be visiting 34 Assembly constituencies and will interact with grassroots Congress workers and leaders. Beside this, I will also be meeting with different community leaders and prominent personalities," he had said.

6:30 PM

India-China disengagement process in eastern Ladakh complete: Rajnath Singh

The disengagement process by India and China in eastern Ladakh is 'complete' after nine rounds of diplomatic and military level talks between the two neighbours, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said here on Sunday as he hit out at Congress for 'doubting' Indian soldiers' bravery.

The country will not allow any "unilateral action" on its border and will pay any cost to thwart such attempts, he told the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha's state conference here.

"After nine rounds of military and diplomatic dialogue, the disengagement process is complete. But unfortunately the Congress is doubting Indian army's bravery.... isn't it insulting to the soldiers who do the supreme sacrifice," he said.

5:37 PM

Congress chief Sonia Gandhi writes to PM over rising fuel prices

4:41 PM

Budget is about govt role as facilitator, private sector as key driver of growth: FM

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday said the Union Budget 2021-22 is about the role of government as a facilitator and the private sector as a key driver of economic growth, without which the country would be losing a big opportunity.

"The most important component or input required here is the participation of the private sector. Unless the private sector is energised enough, unless it is facilitated enough, India is just losing a very big opportunity," Sitharaman said here during the interactive session organised by the Bangalore Chamber of Industry and Commerce.

Sitharaman underlined that the nation's growing and aspiring needs and demands across the various sectors cannot be served just by the state government and central governments put together.

According to the Finance Minister, the coronavirus vaccine was a big example of government-private partnership.

4:16 PM

Over 90% of tech employees continue to work from home: Azim Premji

IT czar Azim Premji on Sunday said more than 90 per cent of the workforce in the technology industry of the country continue to work from home, and lauded the hybrid model of work.

 

"Within the first few weeks of the (Covid-19-induced) lockdown, over 90 per cent of the technology industry was working from home and even today over 90 per cent of people continue to work from home," he said. Read on..

4:12 PM

One more Congress MLA quits in Puducherry; govt's strength drops to 13

One more ruling Congress MLA in Puducherry resigned from his post on Sunday, delivering yet another jolt to Chief Minister V Narayanasamy, who is scheduled to face a floor test on February 22 to prove majority.

K Lakshminarayanan, elected from the Raj Bhavan constituency, tendered his resignation to Assembly Speaker V P Sivakolundhu at the latter's residence.

Later, he told reporters that "this government led by Narayanasamy has lost majority."

Lakshminarayanan said he has also resigned from the party membership.

2:50 PM

Here are the slew of projects to be launched by the PM in West Bengal on Monday

2:47 PM

PM Modi to visit West Bengal's Hooghly on Monday to inaugurate various projects

2:43 PM

Japanese Encephalitis controlled in UP, says Yogi Adityanath

Uttar Pradesh government and the state health department together have successfully controlled Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) and Japanese Encephalitis Virus (JEV) in the state, said Yogi Adityanath on Sunday.

"UP government and the state health department have successfully controlled 95 per cent of Japanese Encephalitis cases in the state. We plan to achieve the rest in this year," Adityanath said.

This comes as Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched the Japanese encephalitis (JE) vaccine drive and administered the vaccine drops to children in Lucknow on Sunday.

Addressing the event, Adityanath said, "We need to control the disease from the state without any extra cost and only through the medium of convergence," he said.

2:12 PM

PM Modi to inaugurate Kolkata Metro extension to Dakshineswar on Monday

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the extension of Kolkata Metro's North-South Line from Noapara to Dakshineswar on Monday, an official said.

The prime minister will flag off a train from Noapara to Dakshineswar from a programme in the Hooghly district, Kolkata Metro spokesperson Indrani Banerjee said.

The inauguration, scheduled on Monday afternoon, will help connect thousands of people in the 4.1 km stretch between Noapara and Dakshineswar, she said.

Apart from regular passengers, devotees intending to visit Dakshineswar Kali temple will also be facilitated with a fast and pollution-free travel mode following the extension of the Metro Railway in its north-south axis.

1:23 PM

Rajnath Singh inaugurates 'Hunar Haat' 2021 in Delhi

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday inaugurated the 26th 'Hunar Haat' and said that our artist and craftsmen utilised the time of nationwide COVID-19 lockdown to create handmade materials in hope of this year's Haat.

 

"Realising the sense of 'opportunity in a disaster' our artists and craftsmen utilised the lockdown period due to COVID-19 and created a large number of handmade materials in the hope of "skill haat" 2021 which has launched today," he said during his address.

 

The Haat has been organised by the Union Ministry of Minority Affairs and will continue till March 1 at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in the national capital. The Defence Minister further said that this Haat is a beautiful exhibition of our traditional art and craft and more importantly our "cultural mosaic."

1:22 PM

Meeting between Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and farmer leaders from Uttar Pradesh underway

12:54 PM

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal to meet protesting farmers at lunch today

12:25 PM

Gujarat civic polls: Amit Shah casts his vote in Ahmedabad

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday cast his vote at a polling booth for election to the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation and expressed confidence that the BJP will win the civic polls in Gujarat. Voting is currently underway for elections to six municipal corporationsin Gujarat - Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot, Jamnagar and Bhavnagar.

 

The BJP has ruled the six corporations for last several terms.

 

Shah, who is enrolled as a voter here, exercised his franchise at a polling booth in Naranpura sub-divisional office of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation along with his family members. After casting his vote, the senior BJP leader and his family members also offered prayers at the Kamnath Mahadev temple located nearby.

12:09 PM

Fuel prices rise for 12th day; petrol at all-time high of Rs 97 in Mumbai

Petrol price on Saturday touched an all-time high of Rs 97 per litre in Mumbai while diesel rate crossed Rs 88 -mark. Petrol price was hiked by record 39 paise per litre and diesel by 37 paise a litre, according to a price notification of state-owned fuel retailers.

 

This the 12th straight day of price hike and the largest daily increase since oil companies started to revise rates on a daily basis in 2017. The increase pushed the petrol price to Rs 90.58 a litre in Delhi and to Rs 97 in Mumbai. Diesel now comes for Rs 80.97 a litre in the national capital and for Rs 88.06 in Mumbai. READ ON...

11:48 AM

Voters will establish Gujarat as BJP's stronghold, says Amit Shah on local body polls

After casting his vote at Naranpura Sub Zonal Office in Ahmedabad on Sunday during phase 1 of the state local body polls, Union Home Minister Amit Shah expressed confidence that the people of the state will establish Gujarat as the stronghold of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Polling for municipal corporations in six major cities of Gujarat began on Sunday at 7 am.

 

"Local body elections have started in Gujarat today. Corporation, Municipal Corporation elections have started from today," Shah told reporters, adding that "I am confident that today the people of Gujarat will cast their votes in large numbers and the family and they will establish Gujarat as the stronghold of the BJP."

 

The Union Home Minister cast his vote at Naranpura Sub Zonal Office in Ahmedabad, along with his family members. The elections in the state are scheduled to be held in two phases -- on February 21 and February 28, the State Election Commission (SEC) said last month. The Polling is taking place for a total of 575 seats and 2,276 candidates.

 

11:26 AM

PM Modi inaugurates a meeting of BJP national office bearers at NDMC convention centre

11:03 AM

PM Modi arrives at NDMC convention centre to address BJP's national functionaries today

11:02 AM

Delhi's air quality remains 'very poor'

Air quality in the national capital remained in the 'very poor' category on Sunday with shallow fog observed in isolated pockets over Delhi. The overall air quality index (AQI) stands at 303, as per the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR).

 

As per the SAFAR, the concentration of PM10 particles stood at 261 in the 'poor' category while PM 2.5 at 124 in the 'very poor' category today. An AQI between 0-50 is marked good, 51-100 is satisfactory, 101- 200 is moderate, 201- 300 is poor, 301-400 is very poor and 401-500 is considered severe.

10:42 AM

Militant hideout unearthed in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag

Security forces on Sunday busted a militant hideout and recovered a cache of arms and ammunition in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said. The cache was recovered after the arrest of the conspirator of the attack on a popular restaurant owner's son in the city here, a police official said. A hideout was busted in forest area of Anantnag by police and security forces after the arrest of conspirator of Krishna Dhaba attack, the official said.

 

He said arms and ammunition, including three AK 56 rifles, two Chinese pistols, two grenades, telescope, AK and pistol magazines, and other incriminating material were recovered from the hideout. Police on Friday arrested three persons involved in the Wednesday's attack on the son of the owner of the popular eatery Krishna Dhaba in Durganag area of the city.

10:36 AM

Gujarat local body polls: Amit Shah casts his vote in Ahmedabad

10:27 AM

Speed up disengagement at Gogra, Hot Springs and Demchok: India tells China

The tenth round of Corps commander level talks between India and China concluded after 16 hours at Moldo, on the Chinese side of Line of Actual Control (LAC) on Sunday as the discussion focused on further disengagement at three friction points in Eastern Ladakh, including Gogra heights, Hot Springs and Depsang plains, Army sources said.

 

According to the sources, the marathon talks began at 10 am Saturday and ended at 2 am Sunday. This latest round of talks comes two days after completing the disengagement process from both the north and south banks of Pangong Lake.

 

The disengagement of troops of the Indian Army and China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) from the LAC was reached after sustained negotiations at the military and diplomatic level, said the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) last week. READ ON...

10:10 AM

Uttarakhand glacier burst: Two more bodies recovered from Tapovan site

Two more bodies were recovered from the flood ravaged Tapovan-Vishnugad hydel project site, taking the death toll in the calamity in Uttarakhand to 67 even as search operations continued there for the 15th day on Sunday.

 

Three bodies had been recovered from the desilting tank near the Tapovan project barrage by Saturday evening while two more were extricated late at night, district administration officials said.

 

Search operation at the project site has been underway on a war footing basis for a fortnight since it bore the brunt of an avalanche triggered by a glacier burst over Rishi Ganga in Chamoli district on February 7. The 13.2 mw Rishi Ganga hydel project was totally demolished in the avalanche while the Tapovan-Vishnugad hydel project suffered extensive damage.