LIVE: BRS is anti-Dalit and Congress is no less than that, says PM Modi

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11:20 PM

Sharad Pawar feels unwell during meeting, advised rest by doctors

Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar felt unwell during a meeting at his hometown Baramati on Saturday evening and advised rest by doctors, party sources said.

Pawar was attending a meeting at Vidya Pratishthan, a trust controlled by his family, when he felt unwell and was immediately examined by doctors, they said.

9:16 PM

Land for job case: Delhi Court sends businessman Amit Katyal to ED remand till Nov 16

The Rouse Avenue Court of Delhi on Saturday sent businessman Amit Katyal, promoter of AK Infosystems to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) remand till November 16.

The Special Judge Nyay Bindu on Saturday after going through the submissions made during the hearing, directed Amit Katyal to custodial remand till November 16, 2023.

Katyal was arrested by ED in an alleged land-for-jobs scam case. Katyal is said to be a close aide of Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav.

9:09 PM

Former AAP leader Akhand Pratap Singh joins BJP

Former Aam Aadmi Party leader Akhand Pratap Singh joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the presence of party chief JP Nadda on Saturday.

Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and other BJP leaders were also present.

The state is set to go to the polls on November 17.

7:06 PM

Three foreign tourists killed in Dal Lake blaze in Kashmir

Three foreign tourists, believed to be from Bangladesh, were charred to death in a major blaze in a houseboat on the famous Dal Lake on Saturday, officials here said.

Burnt beyond recognition, the tourists' bodies were retrieved from the debris of the gutted houseboats near ghat nine on the lake, a popular attraction for tourists visiting Jammu and Kashmir's summer capital, the officials said.

7:05 PM

Diwali eve rush slows down traffic on Delhi roads

Massive traffic snarls were reported in several parts of the national capital, including Ghazipur and Nangloi, on Saturday as people thronged the markets on Diwali eve.

The traffic was very heavy on the Ghazipur border towards Ghaziabad from Delhi. Commuters were stuck there for hours and took to social media to share their woes.

Some X users wrote that they were stuck in traffic jams for one hour on the Delhi-Meerut expressway near Ghazipur market. They claimed that sellers in Ghazipur flower market illegally encroached on the road causing a long traffic jam and leading to inconvenience for commuters.

6:55 PM

Sisodia's ailing wife under stress due to denial of bail: AAP Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj

Aam Aadmi Party Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj on Saturday said that Delhi's former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia's ailing wife Seema was under a lot of stress as he was denied bail, stressing that his wife is suffering from an illness that doesn't have any treatment.

Manish Sisodia, arrested in the Delhi Liquor policy case on March 9, came out of Tihar jail on Saturday on a short furlough of six hours to meet his ailing wife.

"His (Manish Sisodia) wife has a serious illness. It's that kind of illness that doesn't have any treatment. Since his bail has been rejected, she is under a lot of stress too. He has got six hours (to meet her wife)," Saurabh Bharadwaj said.

6:54 PM

BJP trying to run Oppn-ruled states through Raj Bhawan, alleges Chhattisgarh CM

The Bharatiya Janata Party-led Union government is trying to control states ruled by other parties through the Raj Bhawan (governor), which is not in the interest of the country and its democracy, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said on Saturday.

He was answering a query on the row between Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit and the Bhagwant Mann government over delay in giving assent to some bills passed in the Assembly in the northern state.

6:52 PM

3 'associates' of AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan arrested by ED in money-laundering case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested three alleged associates of AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan on Saturday in connection with a money-laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in the recruitment of staff for the Delhi Waqf Board, official sources said.

The agency had last month raided the premises of the 49-year-old Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislator who represents the Okhla constituency in the Delhi Assembly.

6:14 PM

Why is Priyanka Gandhi silent: BJP Tarun Chugh on Dausa rape incident

Bharatiya Janata Party National General Secretary Tarun Chugh slammed Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi over her silence on the Dausa rape incident in Rajasthan and questioned the law and order situation of the poll-bound state.

A minor girl was allegedly raped by a police sub-inspector in Rajasthan's Dausa district on Friday. According to ASP Dausa Bajrang Singh, the accused has been identified as Bhupendra.

6:12 PM

One lamp can light up many others; share joys with poor, needy: Prez Murmu on Diwali eve

President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday greeted citizens on the eve of Diwali and asked them to bring happiness and prosperity in the lives of the poor and needy by sharing their joys with them.

"Deepawali is a festival of joy and happiness. It is celebrated to mark the victory of light over darkness, good over evil and justice over injustice. People of different religions and faiths celebrate this festival and spread the message of love, brotherhood and harmony. This festival is a symbol of kindness, positivity and prosperity," she said.

5:43 PM

Cong fulfilling Jinnah's vision: Himanta on Telangana minority declaration

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday lashed out at the Congress for its minority declaration' in poll-bound Telangana, claiming that the party is fulfilling the vision of Mohammad Ali Jinnah's Muslim League.

In an apparent reference to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi without naming him, the BJP leader alleged that those who have appropriated the Gandhi surname have revived the policies of Jinnah.

The Congress' Minority Declaration released on Thursday said that if the party comes to power in Telangana, it would ensure fair reservation for all backward classes including, minorities in jobs, education and government schemes.

4:43 PM

Rajasthan: Cong' Ram Gopal Bairwa, Ashok Tanwar join BJP

Congress leaders Ram Gopal Bairwa and Ashok Tanwar joined the BJP here on Saturday, ahead of the November 25 Rajasthan assembly polls.

While Bairwa is an ex-minister, Tanwar is a former MLA, who represented Chaksu in the state assembly.

4:15 PM

MP polls: BJP promises higher MSP for wheat, paddy; LPG cylinder at Rs 450

The BJP on Saturday released its manifesto for the November 17 Madhya Pradesh elections promising MSP for wheat at Rs 2,700 per quintal and paddy at Rs 3,100 and houses for beneficiaries of the state's flagship scheme Ladli Bahna'.

Free education to girls from poor families up to post-graduation, free education to poor students up to Class 12 and cooking gas cylinder at Rs 450 for beneficiaries of Ladli Bahna and PM Ujjwala' schemes are among its other highlights.

The 96-page Sankalp Patra' (vision document) was released here by BJP president JP Nadda along with the party's state chief VD Sharma, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh and other leaders.

4:13 PM

I will do better than what my father did for welfare of Muslims: Andhra Pradesh CM

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on Saturday said he will do more than his father, former CM Y S Rajasekhar Reddy, for the welfare of Muslims.

The chief minister, addressing a public meeting here said: "For the welfare of Muslims, if my father had taken one step, I would take two steps with pride."

The rally was to mark National Education Day, also observed as Minorities Welfare Day in the southern state.

3:38 PM

PM Modi has stopped infiltrators, abrogated Article 370 in J-K: Shah

Union home minister Amit Shah on Saturday said that it is Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government that has the courage to stop infiltrators in the country and it is not possible for the Congress and leaders of the opposition bloc INDIA to do so.

Modi ji has done the job of stopping infiltrators in the country and it is not possible for Congress and INDIA bloc leaders to do so. Whether infiltrators should be stopped or not, he asked while addressing a public meeting at Manawar in Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh ahead of the November 17 assembly elections.

It was the Modi government that abrogated Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir despite Congress leader Rahul Gandhi claiming that it would lead to a bloodbath but nothing happened, Shah said.

3:30 PM

Congress announces 'Tulsi Yatra' to protest 'mismanagement' at Puri temple

The opposition Congress in Odisha announced that it will undertake a 'Tulsi Yatra', in which tulsi or basil leaves will be collected from houses across 314 blocks of the state and offered to Lord Jagannath in Puri, as a mark of protest over alleged mismanagement at the 12th-century shrine.

The decision was taken hours after 10 devotees fell unconscious on Friday due to heavy rush at the temple, state Congress president Sarat Pattnayak said.

A huge number of people visit the temple this time of the year as it is the holy month of 'Kartik', he said, adding that they are facing difficulties as the administration closed three of the four gates, and is allowing entry only through the 'Singha Dwar'.

3:29 PM

Prepare legal, regulatory framework to deal with deepfakes: Congress to Maha govt

The Maharashtra Congress demanded that the state government set up a committee to prepare a legal and regulatory framework to deal with deepfakes generated by artificial intelligence.

In a post on X, the party's state unit general secretary Sachin Sawant said a separate machinery is needed to identify deepfakes and expose them.

The issue of deepfakes has come to the fore after one such video of actress Rashmika Mandanna was found circulating on social media platforms earning criticism from several politicians and celebrities.

3:27 PM

Fire at Chandni Chowk

A fire broke out in a multi-storied building in Chandni Chowk area of the city on Saturday, a fire department official said.

None was, however, injured in the blaze and the blaze was doused by the fire department after about an hour, he said.

Four fire tenders were pressed to douse the blaze, which broke out at around 10.25 AM, the official said.

2:45 PM

EAM Jaishankar to visit UK from November 11-15, set to meet counterpart

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will travel to the United Kingdom on an official visit from November 11-15, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced in a press release. During his visit, Jaishankar will hold a meeting with his UK counterpart James Cleverly. He will also meet several other dignitaries. India and the UK have a "growing bilateral partnership", the MEA stated in its release, noting that the two countries launched a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2021.

 

2:30 PM

Rajasthan polls: Former Haryana Congress chief Ashok Tanwar, several leaders join BJP

With two weeks left for the Rajasthan Assembly elections, the Congress in the state suffered a double blow as former Congress minister Ram Gopal Bairwa and former MLA Ashok Tanwar and several other leaders joined the Bharatiya Janata Party. The new leaders were inducted in the presence of Rajasthan BJP President CP Joshi and Member of Lok Sabha Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore at the party office in Jaipur.

1:57 PM

UAE leverages oil power to push secretive oil cos on emission cuts: Report

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is leveraging its status as an oil producer and host of the upcoming United Nations climate talks to prod some of the world's most secretive state-run oil companies to cut their greenhouse gas emissions, according to documents obtained by POLITICO, a US-based politics-focused news wesbite. The effort, termed as the Global Decarbonisation Alliance, aims to make a significant impact at the COP28 negotiations starting on November 30 in Dubai. It is expected to be announced as a side deal to the main conference, separate from the diplomatic text addressing climate change.

1:38 PM

Avoid morning walk, don't burn crackers, use public transport: Delhi health advisory

From avoiding outdoor walks to saying no to burning firecrackers, the Delhi health department has advised a slew of measures in view of the pollution in the national capital. The advisory, published in major dailies on Saturday has also underlined that pregnant women, patients with underlying medical conditions, children and the elderly population should be more cautious and avoid exposure to air pollution.

1:22 PM

Deep fake video: Delhi Police writes to Meta for URL

The Delhi Police has written to Meta to provide the URL of the account from which the 'deep fake' video of actress Rashmika Mandanna was shared on social media. The move came a day after the city police filed an FIR in connection with the incident. According to an officer, the Delhi Police has also sought the information of the people who shared the fake video on the social media.

1:20 PM

Noida Police books 18 in Mahadev app case under provisions of Gangster Act

The Noida Police has booked 18 accused in the Mahadev App case under the provisions of the Uttar Pradesh Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act. Noida Commissioner of Police Lakshmi Singh has acted against 18 people after registering a case at the Sector 39 police station. Noida Police had also written to the government to ban the app.

12:57 PM

Congress' Palvai Sravanthi quits party, blames "commercialisation"

In a blow to Congress party ahead of the Telangana polls, Congress leader and spokesperson Palvai Sravanthi on Saturday announced that she is quitting the party in all capacities with immediate effect. Sravanthi said she had waited for a long period, with a hope that the leaders sitting in Delhi would act on the "collateral damage" the party was suffering in Telangana, thanks to "one person's attempts" to turn the party into a "commercial" entity.

12:27 PM

Fire breaks out in a building in Chandni Chowk in Kolkata

12:18 PM

Bihar CM Kumar pays tribute to Maulana Azad on his birth anniversary

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday paid tribute to freedom fighter and India's first education minister, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, on his birth anniversary. "Greetings on National Education Day. The birthday of the country's first Education Minister, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, is celebrated as National Education Day. His significant contribution to the country will always be remembered. Respectful homage to him," Bihar CM Nitish Kumar posted on X in Hindi.

11:42 AM

Security beefed up ahead of Diwali festivities in Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh Special Director General of Police (Law and Order), Prashant Kumar, has announced extensive security measures in view of Diwali festive season.232 companies of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC), three companies of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and three companies of the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) have been deployed to ensure public safety.

11:19 AM

3,500 kg of firecrackers seized by police ahead of Diwali from North Delhi

Delhi police is taking stringent steps to ensure that the ban on bursting firecrackers is implemented strictly ahead of Diwali and 3500 kg of firecrackers have been seized from North Delhi. North Delhi DCP Manoj Kumar Meena said, "Till now we have caught around 3500 kg of firecrackers and have taken action by registering FIRs...Surveillance is being done through drones near the Yamuna Khadar area to ensure that agricultural waste is not being burnt."

11:00 AM

Sisodia reaches home from Tihar Jail to meet family

Former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia on Saturday reached his residence here from Tihar Jail to meet his ailing wife after permission from a city court. Sisodia, who is in jail in connection with the alleged liquor scam case, was allowed to meet his wife for six hours between 10 am and 4 pm.