Highlights of day: Modi govt used privatisation to weaken reservations, says Congress

From PM Modi's election rallies in Karnataka to BJD leaders joining the BJP in Odisha, catch all the latest updates from around the world here

11:05 PM

EC asks political parties in Odisha to not engage children in campaigning

The Election Commission has asked all political parties in Odisha not to engage children in public rallies and meetings, following a series of complaints in this regard.

Odisha Additional Chief Electoral Officer N Thirumala Naik issued a circular to this effect to the president and secretary of all recognised national and regional parties in the state on Saturday.

9:48 PM

Arvind Kejriwal's wife Sunita denied permission to meet Delhi CM in jail, says AAP

The Tihar jail administration has denied permission for Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's wife Sunita to meet him on April 29, AAP said on Sunday. There was no immediate reaction from the Tihar authorities. "Sunita Kejriwal was supposed to meet him tomorrow (Monday) but the Tihar administration has denied permission. The jail administration has not cited any reason for denying the permission," the party said.

9:27 PM

Village defence guard killed in gunfight with terrorists in J-K, search op underway

A Village Defence Guard (VDG) member was killed in a gunfight with recently infiltrated terrorists in a remote village in Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur district early Sunday, a senior police officer said. Additional Director General of Police, Jammu zone, Anand Jain, who rushed to the area to supervise the anti-terrorist operation, said a massive search operation is on to track down and neutralize the terrorists who have infiltrated from Pakistan.

8:51 PM

8 fresh forest fires in Uttarakhand in 24 hours, IAF assists in firefighting for 2nd day

The firefighting operation in Uttarakhand's forests with the help of an Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter continued for the second day on Sunday with the blaze being brought under control in several areas, officials said.

The state reported eight fresh forest fires in the last 24 hours, gutting 11.75 hectares, compared to the 23 such incidents damaging 34.175 hectares from Friday evening to Saturday evening, the forest department said in its daily bulletin.

8:33 PM

Not BJP, Pandian will finish you in this election: Biplab Deb takes on Naveen Patnaik

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will be "finished in this election" not by the BJP but by his aide VK Pandian, former Tripura CM Biplab Kumar Deb claimed on Sunday. Addressing an election rally in Berhampur, Deb said that if the chief minister's father Biju Patnaik was alive he would have been hurt to see that the state was being run by an "outsider".

7:56 PM

Modi govt used privatisation to weaken reservations, says Ramesh

The Congress on Sunday attacked the BJP over Home Minister Amit Shah's quota remarks in Uttar Pradesh, alleging that the Modi government has used privatization as a "weapon" to weaken reservations for SCs, STs and OBCs in the last 10 years. The opposition party also claimed that the secret behind the BJP's '400 paar' slogan is that they will openly try to end reservation this time. The Congress' attack came after Shah, speaking at a UP rally, said the BJP will neither remove reservations for SCs, STs and OBCs nor will it allow anyone to do so, calling it a "Modi guarantee".

7:00 PM

Health secy Chandra urges states, UTs to link ABHA IDs with health portals

The Union Health Secretary has urged states and union territories to take necessary action to link Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) with various health portals, such as Reproductive Child Health (RCH), National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NIKSHAY), among others.

As per the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) dashboard, total ABHA IDs created in the country as on April 3, 2024 is 5,894.60 lakhs, Health Secretary Apurva Chandra said.

5:48 PM

Punjab CM Mann to meet Kejriwal in Tihar jail on Apr 30, says report

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann will meet his Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal in Tihar jail on April 30, AAP sources said on Sunday. This will be Mann's second meeting with Kejriwal in Tihar. Kejriwal was arrested on March 21 by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with an excise policy-linked money-laundering case.

5:32 PM

Citizens above the age of 70 years will get benefits of Ayushman Bharat scheme: CM Yadav

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Sunday assured that benefits of up to Rs 5 lakh will provided to all elderly people above the age of 70 years under the Ayushman Bharat scheme. The Chief Minister said, "Citizens above 70 years of age, of any caste, age and group will get the benefit of Ayushman Yojana. Lakhs of elderly people will be benefited."

5:17 PM

BJP with its '400 paar' slogan misunderstood public mood, won't win any seat in 3rd phase: Akhilesh

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday claimed the BJP will not win any seat in the third phase of the Lok Sabha polls and that the ruling party misunderstood the direction of the wind when it made its slogan of 400 paar. Addressing a rally in Sambhal, Yadav also said the Samajwadi Party had an advantage in the third phase, saying that elections on May 7 will be held between Sambhal and his home in Etawah and Mainpuri.

4:53 PM

Cases of mobile phone use while driving surge 149% in Delhi since January

A major surge of nearly 149 per cent in prosecutions related to mobile phone usage while driving in Delhi since January 1, as compared to the corresponding period last year, the traffic police data revealed. The statistics, shared by the Delhi Traffic Police, indicate a sharp rise in violations of mobile phone usage laws while driving. From January 1 to April 15, a total of 15,846 motorists were booked for this offence, significantly higher than the 6,369 cases reported in 2023, it said.

4:22 PM

LS elections: Hotels, hospitals, multiplexes woo Raipur voters with discounts to boost poll turnout

Prominent hotels, hospitals and multiplexes in Chhattisgarh's capital Raipur have offered discounts on their services to electors in a bid to enhance voter turnout in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls, officials said on Sunday.

 

The offers will be applicable to voters for a few days from May 7, the date of polling in Raipur Lok Sabha constituency. They can avail the offers by showing the indelible ink mark on their index finger, a public relations department official said.

3:59 PM

BJP's manifesto guarantees developed India, Cong's document divisive: Rajnath Singh

The BJP's 'sankalp patra' (manifesto) for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls is a concrete guarantee of a new, capable and developed India whereas the one issued by the Congress is divisive and is inspired by appeasement politics, Union Minister Rajnath Singh said on Sunday. The Congress failed to eradicate poverty during its long rule, while the Narendra Modi government managed to get 25 crore citizens out of poverty in the past 8-9 years, Singh said. 

3:35 PM

Modi runs govt for billionaires, Patnaik for select few: Rahul Gandhi in Odisha

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday alleged that while PM Narendra Modi runs a government for billionaires from Delhi, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik leads a dispensation that works for "select people" in Odisha. Addressing an election rally in Cuttack's Salepur, Gandhi claimed that though the BJD and BJP were fighting the electoral battle against each other, in reality, they were working together. "Call it a partnership or marriage, both BJD and BJP are together," he claimed.

3:14 PM

Russian drones set hotel ablaze in Ukrainian Black Sea city

Russian drones early Sunday struck the Black Sea city of Mykolaiv, setting a hotel ablaze and damaging energy infrastructure, the local Ukrainian governor reported, while ammunition shortages continued to hobble Kyiv's troops in the more than 2-year-old war. Vitaliy Kim, the governor of Ukraine's southern Mykolaiv province, said that Russian drones seriously damaged a hotel in its namesake capital, sparking a fire that was later extinguished. Kim also reported that the strike damaged heat-generating infrastructure in the city, but gave no details. He added that there were no casualties.

2:58 PM

Arvinder Singh Lovely will likely be declared Lok Sabha candidate: Cong MLA Asif Mohammad

Reacting to Arvinder Singh Lovely's resignation from the Congress party, former Congress MLA Asif Mohammad says, "There might be differences in the party...If Lovely was disappointed, wanted to resign then he would have silently accorded his resignation to Mallikarjun Kharge; the kind of reasons are mentioned in the letter and then he resigned. If his intentions were not bad he would have silently tendered his resignation...In a way, he has issued that letter openly to the media is directly benefitting the BJP. I can say this, in the place of Harsh Malhotra, Lovely will be declared candidate within one or two days..."

2:56 PM

SC set to hear on Apr 29 Kejriwal's plea against arrest in money laundering case

The Supreme Court is set to hear on Monday, May 29, a plea by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal challenging his arrest in a money laundering case stemming from the alleged excise policy scam. A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta is likely to hear the matter, reported PTI.

2:32 PM

BJP's govt has provided safe, secure administration to UP: CM Yogi

While addressing a public rally in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath Says, "This is the govt of BJP, the 'mafia' that used to roam around under the protection of the then govt, today, that mafia is looking to surrender and says 'jaan baksh do ek baar bas'. These mafias and criminals must be forced for carting as they should be taught hard work."

12:59 PM

Mahatma Gandhi wanted Congress to be dissolved after independence, people will do it now: Rajnath Singh

Attacking Congress, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said, "Suspension of fundamental rights took place during the rule of Congress party... So far, the President's rule has been imposed in the country 132 times under Article 356, out of which 90 times Congress has imposed and Indira Gandhi alone had spent half a century in toppling the government. At the time of independence, Mahatma Gandhi said that Congress should be dissolved but the Congress did not listen to him, so I think that now the public has thought and decided that whatever Mahatma Gandhi had said should be fulfilled... Now we will have to dissolve this Congress, I think the people will also agree to dissolve the Congress."

12:52 PM

Setback to opposition, several Samajwadi Party leaders join BJP in Lucknow

In a major setback to the opposition bloc, several Samajwadi Party leaders have joined Bharatiya Janata Party amidst the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.

12:44 PM

Union minister Smriti Irani arrives at Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya

12:33 PM

PM Modi attacks Rahul Gandhi, says 'Shehzada' of Congress misleading people

Speaking at a public gathering in Belagavi, PM Narendra Modi says, "... Shehzada of Congress says that the kings of India were atrocious. They snatched the assets of the poor as per their wishes. The Shehzada of Congress has insulted great personalities like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Rani Chinamma, whose good governance and patriotism still motivate us. Does the Shehzada not know the contribution of the Mysuru Royal family, whom we all are proud of? The statements made by the Shehzada of Congress have been made very thoughtfully to appease their vote bank... But the Shehzada does not say a word about the atrocities committed by the Nawabs, Nizams, Sultans, and Badhshahs... Congress does not remember the atrocities committed by Aurangzeb who destroyed thousands of our temples. Congress forms political alliances with parties who praise Aurangzeb. They do not talk about all those who destroyed our pilgrimage sites, looted them, killed our people, and killed cows..."

12:30 PM

Several leaders of the Delhi Congress arrive at Arvinder Singh Lovely's residence

12:29 PM

Seat allocation should be done with consent all Congress members: Sandeep Dixit on Lovely's resignation

Speaking on the resignation of Delhi Congress President Arvinder Singh Lovely, Congress leader Sandeep Dixit said, "... Being the Congress President and a Congress worker, he (Arvinder Singh Lovely) has a personal pain... His pain is that we are struggling to bring back our old reputation in Delhi. Becoming the President of Congress is a crown of thorns. Despite this, he worked hard in the last 6-8 months and built the party... Everyone felt that Congress is slowly awakening and when we get 2 or 3 seats, it seems that if we give seats to people with the consent of all the people of Congress, then the work will go better in the future ..."

12:27 PM

SAD to contest Gurdaspur LS seat on party symbol for 1st time in decades

After breaking away from the BJP, the Akali Dal is all set to contest the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha seat on party symbol 'takdi' or scales for the first time since 1996 as it braces for a showdown with its former ally which has used star power to clinch the seat on numerous occasions, reported PTI.

 

12:21 PM

Unemployment among Indian youth is transient, says RBI MPC member Goyal

Unemployment is highest for younger age brackets, but it is 'transient' as Indian youths spend more time acquiring skills and trying hands at entrepreneurship, RBI Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) member Ashima Goyal has said, reported PTI.

 

12:17 PM

K'taka CM Siddaramaiah holds dharna protesting Centre's 'injustice' over drought funds

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, his deputy D K Shivakumar along with several other ministers and legislators on Sunday staged a dharna, alleging injustice done to the state by the union government while releasing the drought relief funds, PTI reported.

 

12:13 PM

"Will targeting opposition and jailing them strengthen democracy?" questions AAP's Sanjay Singh

Taking a jibe at the central government, AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh asked, "Will targeting opposition and jailing them strengthen democracy?". 

11:50 AM

LS polls: JP Nadda and Rahul Gandhi to address rallies in Odisha today

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and BJP president JP Nadda are set to address election rallies in different parts of Odisha on Sunday.

 

11:25 AM

Tesla CEO Elon Musk heads to China in surprise visit to country: Report

Tesla CEO Elon Musk heads to China in surprise visit company's second largest EV market, according to news reports.