Former U’khand CM Harish Rawat to skip Ram temple consecration ceremony
Senior Congress leader and former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat on Saturday said he would not attend the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya on January 22. "Ram is our faith, our everything. As per the Sanatan tradition, we will go whenever the lord summons us. Why will anyone go on the invitation of BJP or RSS? The whole event has been saffronised by these organisations," Rawat told reporters here. Rawat said the consecration ceremony should not have been made to appear as an event of the BJP and RSS as it is being done. Even the Shankaracharyas have raised objections to the manner in which the event is being held, he said.
India provides buses, ambulances, tractors to Uganda
India has provided Uganda 10 buses, five ambulances, 10 tractors and some flag poles as part of assistance to support the country in hosting summits of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and G77 grouping. The African nation is organising the NAM summit on January 19 and 20. The Indian high commission in Uganda provided the details of India's assistance to that country for the summits in a post on 'X' on Saturday. "On behalf of Govt. of India HC @UpendraSRawat gifted 10 executive buses, 5 ambulances, 10 tractors & 2664 flags/flag poles promised by EAM @DrSJaishankar to @GenJejeOdongo, Minister of Foreign Affairs @UgandaMFA, to support Uganda to host @NAM_Uganda & @G77Summit_Ug Summits," it said. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar may travel to Uganda for the NAM Summit. "Great! Looking forward to my forthcoming Kampala visit," Jaishankar said on 'X' while responding to the post buy the Indian High Commission.
CSMT-Jalna Vande Bharat train collides with bull
A CSMT-Jalna Vande Bharat Express train collided with a bull after crossing Latur station in Maharashtra on Saturday evening, a Railways official said. The bull died in the incident. No major damage was caused to the train and the engine, he said, adding that no passenger was injured. The incident occurred between Latur and Potul stations at around 6:35 pm due to which the semi-high speed train was held up for 35 minutes, he said. The train was allowed to proceed for its onward journey at around 7:10 pm after a thorough inspection including the engine. The train left CSMT station in Mumbai at 1:10 pm and was scheduled to reach its destination at 8.30 PM.
India Strongly Protests British High Commissioner’s Visit to Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir
India has expressed serious concern over the visit of the British High Commissioner in Islamabad, accompanied by a UK Foreign Office official, to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on January 10, 2024. Terming it a highly objectionable act, India considers any such action as a violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Ministry of External Affairs conveyed a robust protest to the British High Commissioner in India, emphasizing the unacceptability of such infringements.
Renowned Hindustani Classical Vocalist Dr. Prabha Atre Mourned by President Droupadi Murmu
"Grieved by the unfortunate demise of the great Hindustani classical vocalist Dr. Prabha Atre ji who was honoured with all the three Padma awards besides numerous other recognitions. Dr. Atre was a multi-faceted personality who excelled as scholar, composer, performer and author. She gave a new dimension to Kirana Gharana and played significant role in taking Indian classical music to the world," tweets President Droupadi Murmu.
Mumbai: Two civic staffers held for seeking bribe from NGO
Two civic staffers were arrested in Mumbai for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe from an NGO to clear bills, a Maharashtra Anti Corruption Bureau official said on Saturday. Satish Dagadkhair and Nitin Sable of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's L Ward had sought Rs 12,000 to clear a bill of Rs 84,000 from an RTI activist who runs an NGO, the official said. "The NGO had worked under the Swachh Mumbai Prabhodan Abhiyan. Dagadkhair and Sable were arrested in an ACB trap in Safedpul area of Sakinaka while accepting Rs 10,000. The two were charged under Prevention of Corruption Act and have been remanded in police custody for further probe," the official said. "We had worked in December as part of the cleanliness drive after our tender bid was accepted. However, the two officials were seeking bribes to clear our bill and harassing us," NGO functionary and complainant Vinod Sonkamble said.
Ruling-party candidate emerges victorious in Taiwan’s presidential election
Ruling-party candidate Lai Ching-te has emerged victorious in Taiwan's presidential election and his opponents have conceded. The result in Taiwan's presidential and parliamentary election will chart the trajectory of relations with China over the next four years. At stake is the peace and stability of the 110-mile-wide strip of water between the Chinese mainland and the self-governed island, which is claimed by China as its own. Apart from tensions with China, the election largely hinged on domestic issues, such as a slowed economy, housing affordability, a yawning gap between rich and poor, and unemployment.
Heroin, smuggled foreign cigarettes worth over Rs 5.5 cr recovered in Mizoram village
Personnel of the Assam Rifles recovered heroin and smuggled foreign cigarettes to the tune of Rs 5.62 crore from two places in east Mizoram's Champhai district, officials said on Saturday. Acting on a tip-off, they conducted an operation at Zokhawthar village along the Mizoram-Myanmar border, and seized 628 gram of heroin worth Rs 4.39 crore from a woman peddler on Friday, they said. In another operation, the personnel recovered 95 cases of foreign cigarettes smuggled from Myanmar worth Rs 1.23 crore in Champhai, the Assam Rifles said in a statement. The entire consignment and the accused were handed over to the authorities for further legal proceedings, it added.
Congress Says Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra is Ideological
The day before the launch of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra from Manipur, Congress says it is an ideological yatra and not an electoral one.
Biggest challenge before us is ideology that believes in polarisation: Cong’s Jairam Ramesh
Biggest challenge before us is ideology that believes in polarisation, economic inequality, political authoritarianism: Cong's Jairam Ramesh.
