LIVE: BJP is becoming synonymous with aspirations, progress, says PM Modi

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8:42 PM

PM Modi addressing party workers after the inauguration of the residential complex and auditorium

Highlights from his speech:

• The journey began with 2 Lok Sabha seats and is now at 303 seats. BJP is the only pan-India party from east to west and from north to south.
• BJP gives the opportunity to the youth to progress.
• BJP is not only the world's biggest but also the most futuristic party, its only goal is to make a modern and developed India
• The party was almost finished in the 1984 elections, but we didn't lose hope. We continued working for the people

7:28 PM

PM Narendra Modi inaugurates the newly constructed BJP Central Office (Ext.) in Delhi

6:56 PM

Amritpal Singh spotted without a turban and with a mask on his face in Delhi on March 21

2:40 PM

Congress asks Odisha CM Patnaik to visit Japan after Assembly session

With Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik planning to undertake a nine-day trip to Japan from April 3, Opposition Congress on Tuesday suggested that the CM visit the East Asian country after the end of the Budget session of the House.

 

The Budget session of the Odisha Assembly will end on April 6.

 

The issue was raised by Congress Legislature Party Leader Narasingha Mishra in the House during the Zero Hour. "I understand from media that the CM is all set to start his tour to Japan from April 3. We do not have any objection to his (CM) visit to Japan on the state's interest. But, he should not ignore the House which is on session," he said.

2:27 PM

Karnataka Congress promises to scrap quotas announced by BJP when it wins

Karnataka Congress on Tuesday pledged to scrap various reservation quotas announced by the ruling BJP in the state immediately after it comes to power.

Talking to media persons, State President D.K. Shivakumar stated that the Union Home Minister Amit Shah has given his stamp on the reservations done by the BJP government in Karnataka. But, the people have rejected it and after 40 days, the Congress is going to form the government and scrap the new reservations.

2:14 PM

Atiq Ahmed sentenced to life imprisonment in Umesh Pal kidnapping case

Prayagraj MP-MLA Court sentences mafia-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed to life imprisonment in Umesh Pal kidnapping case; also imposes a fine of Rs 5,000 on him. 

 

The Court convicted Atiq Ahmed, Dinesh Pasi and Khan Saulat Hanif in the case. All the other seven accused, including the brother of Atiq Ahmed - Ashraf - acquitted.

2:12 PM

AAP to display posters against PM Modi across India on March 30

The Aam Aadmi Party will be displaying posters against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 11 languages across the country on March 30, party's state convener Gopal Rai said on Tuesday.

"The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will display posters in states across the country on March 30. All state units of the party have been asked to paste posters in their respective states. The posters have been printed in 11 languages," Rai, the Delhi AAP chief and environment minister, told PTI.

1:37 PM

India committed to support African partner nations in all defence-related matters: Rajnath Singh

India is steadfast in its commitment to provide support in all defence-related matters to African partner countries, including capability enhancement of their armed forces, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said here on Tuesday.

Speaking at the conclave of Army chiefs in which 31 delegates from African nations participated, including 10 Army chiefs, Singh said India is at the forefront of providing training to the armed forces of African countries.

1:13 PM

Rahul to visit K'taka on April 5 to take on BJP over disqualification row

The Congress is planning a mega programme for April 5 to retaliate on the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi from the very place where the contentious speech was made in Karnataka, sources confirmed on Tuesday.

 

The party is planning to have Rahul Gandhi deliver his address.

12:54 PM

Zydus Lifesciences gets USFDA nod to market generic drug

Zydus Lifesciences on Tuesday said it has received approval from the US health regulator to market a generic product which is used to treat myxedema coma.

The company has received the final approval for Levothyroxine Sodium for Injection in strength of 100 mcg/vial, 200 mcg/vial, and 500 mcg/vial from the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA), the drug firm said in a statement.

 

12:25 PM

Rahul trying to 'rip apart' PM Modi's image, but won't succeed: BJP

The BJP on Tuesday launched a fresh attack on Rahul Gandhi, saying the Congress leader's refusal to apologise to the OBC community for his "indecent" comments is yet another "manifestation" of the Gandhi family's political arrogance.

 

BJP leader and Union Minister Smriti Irani alleged that Gandhi was trying to "rip" apart the image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. But the Congress leader will not succeed as the people of the country are with the prime minister, she asserted at a press conference.

12:17 PM

BBC Punjabi Twitter account withheld in connection with Amritpal's case

Amid ongoing police crackdown against pro-Khalistani elements in Punjab, the official Twitter account of the BBC Punjabi was blocked by the authorities.

 

The message of Twitter profile of BBC News Punjabi' read: @bbcnewspunjabi's account has been withheld in India in response to a legal demand

11:45 AM

Lok Sabha adjourned till 2 pm amid protest by Opposition members

Lok Sabha proceedings were adjourned till 2 pm on Tuesday amid protest by Opposition members.

As soon as the House met, some Opposition members, wearing black clothes, trooped into the Well of the House and hurled papers towards the Chair.

11:40 AM

Stalemate to continue in Parliament, budget session likely to end early

With the stalemate continuing in Parliament, the session is likely to be wound up early.

 

The Budget session is scheduled to end on April 6, but with continued logjam over various issues, sources are saying that it may be sine die soon.

11:22 AM

Prove Savarkar apologised, late Hindutva ideologue's grandson tells Rahul

The grandson of late Hindutva ideologue VD Savarkar has sought action against Rahul Gandhi for his comments and also challenged the Congress leader to show documents that prove he had apologised to the British.

 

Gandhi's "My name is not Savarkar, my name is Gandhi and Gandhi does not offer an apology to anyone" remark has drawn fire from BJP.

10:59 AM

Mamata to launch scheme for development of rural roads

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will launch a scheme for development of rural roads at Singur in Hooghly district on Tuesday.

Under the 'Pathashree-Rastashree' scheme around 12,000 km of roads will be constructed or reconstructed in 29,475 villages of the state, a senior official of the Panchayat and Rural Development department said.

10:42 AM

Over 1 kg gold seized from two flyers by Customs

Gold weighing over 1 kg collectively worth over Rs 65 lakh was seized from two passengers, in separate cases, at the international airport here in the early hours of Tuesday, Customs officials said.

Based on passenger profiling, Customs Air Intelligence officers intercepted one male passenger who came by a flight from Dubai and on searching the passenger, three capsules of gold in paste form weighing 840 gm (approximately Rs 51.24 lakh value) was found concealed in rectum, a release from Customs said.

10:11 AM

Jamia violence: HC to order on plea against discharge of 11 accused today

The Delhi High Court is likely to pronounce Tuesday its order on the police's revision plea against a trial court's order discharging 11 accused, including Sharjeel Imam, Safoora Zargar and Asif Iqbal Tanha in the 2019 Jamia violence case.

 

Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma had on March 23 reserved the judgement on the plea. Violence erupted at Jamia Millia Islamia in December 2019 after a clash between the police and anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protesters

9:54 AM

Dept of Immigration, Nepal govt issues alert for fugitive Amritpal Singh

The Department of Immigration, Nepal government has alerted its offices, particularly those at airports to prevent Amritpal Singh, a radical preacher from Punjab, India who could flee to a third country using Nepali territory either on his own passport or a fake passport, the Himalayan Times reported.

 

DG Jhalak Ram Adhikari told The Himalayan Times that Indian Embassy had written to his office seeking his office's help in stopping Khalistan separatist Amritpal Singh from fleeing to a third country.

9:38 AM

Wrong to assume fired H1B staffers have to leave country: USCIS director

Amid mass layoffs in the tech sector, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has said it is wrong to assume that fired workers holding H-1B visa has to leave the country within 60 days and that they have multiple options to stay.

 

In a letter to the Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies, USCIS Director Ur M Jaddou said, "When non-immigrant workers are laid off, they may not be aware of their options and may, in some instances, wrongly assume that they have no option but to leave the country within 60 days."

9:24 AM

Fire breaks out at warehouse in Delhi's Badarpur

A fire broke out at a warehouse in southeast Delhi's Badarpur area, causing the building to collapse, officials said on Tuesday.

No casualty has been reported so far, they said.

9:09 AM

China's transgressions remain trigger for escalation along LAC: Army Chief

Chief of Army Staff General Manoj Pande on Monday said that China's transgressions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) remain to be a "potential trigger" for escalation and that the Indian Army is firm' and resolute in dealing with any contingency on the border.

 

"I think the most important aspect of our operational environment remains our legacy, challenges of the unsettled and disputed borders. Pockets of dispute and contested claims to the territory continue to exist due to differing perceptions of the alignment of the Line of Actual Control. Transgressions remain the potential trigger for escalations. We have adequate reserves and are ready to deal with any contingency," he said.

8:58 AM

FIR against 13 cops in two cases in UP's Pilibhit after court orders

Thirteen policemen, including a station house officer, a sub-inspector, and 10 constables have been booked in two separate matters in Uttar Pradesh's Pilibhit district on the orders of court of Chief Judicial Magistrate and Special Judge, SC/ST Act.

 

The cops are accused of allegedly demanding extortion money from a lawyer in the first matter and for keeping a Dalit man under illegal detention and hurling casteist abuses at him in the second matter.

 

 

8:57 AM

Washington watching Rahul Gandhi's case in Indian courts: US official

The United States is watching the court case of Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi, an official has said while observing that Washington continues to engage with India on the shared commitment towards democratic principles and the protection of human rights, including freedom of expression.

 

Gandhi was on March 23 sentenced to two years in jail by a Surat court in a 2019 criminal defamation case over his "why all thieves have Modi surname" remark. A day later, he was disqualified from the Lok Sabha from the date of his conviction in the case.

8:55 AM

H-1B visa cap for FY 2024 reached, successful applicants informed: USCIS

The H-1B visa cap for the financial year 2024, beginning October 1, has been reached and all successful applicants have been informed about it, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services has said.

 

In a statement on Monday, the federal agency said it has received enough electronic registrations during the initial period to reach the fiscal year 2024 H-1B numerical allocations (H-1B cap), including the advanced degree exemption -- the master's cap.

8:55 AM

Walt Disney begins job cuts with goal of eliminating 7,000 positions

Walt Disney Co. has begun the first of what is expected to be 7,000 job cuts, a key part of a $5.5 billion savings drive the company announced in February.

 

The first group of employees will be notified over the next four days, Chief Executive Officer Bob Iger said in a memo to staff on Monday. A second, larger round will happen in April, impacting several thousand workers. The last of the affected workers will receive notice before summer.