Modi can defeat Bangladesh in '48 hours': Sena MLA

Shiv Sena MLA Nilesh Rane on Tuesday claimed India will save Hindus in Bangladesh, where they are facing attacks, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi can defeat the neighbouring nation in "48 hours".

  

Speaking at a rally organised in Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra to protest against atrocities on minority Hindus in Bangladesh, Rane said India is being surrounded by all sides everyday.

He said the Hindu community just has one country - India. Nepal is also a Hindu majority country, but the number of community members is very less in the Himalayan nation.

"Muslims have many countries. If you (Muslims) do not like our country then leave," the ruling coalition MLA maintained.

Hindu women are being kidnapped and stones are being pelted on Ganpati, Ram Navmi and Hanuman Jayanti rallies/processions in Maharashtra, alleged the MLA whose party is aligned with the BJP.

"We will save Hindus in Bangladesh. There is (PM) Narendra Modi for that. But it is our responsibility to save our country. Do not let your guard down. Modi ji will not take more than two days to defeat Bangladesh. We will defeat Bangladesh in 48 hours," the Shiv Sena legislator told the gathering in his home district.

Nilesh Rane is son of former Maharashtra chief minister Narayan Rane and elder brother of BJP MLA Nitesh Rane, who has been accused of make provocative speeches. -- PTI

India-Russia friendship is "higher than the highest mountain and deeper than the deepest ocean", Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said at a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Tuesday.

Both leaders expressed that the partnership between the countries holds immense potential and combined efforts will pave the way for remarkable outcomes, an Indian readout of the meeting said.

Singh called on Putin after co-chairing the 21st session of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military and Military Cooperation along with Russian Defence Minister Andrey Belousov.

"During the meeting, Rajnath Singh said 'friendship between our countries is higher than the highest mountain and deeper than the deepest ocean'," the readout by the defence ministry said.

Singh conveyed to Putin that India has always stood by its Russian friends and will continue to do so in future, it said.

The defence minister also conveyed warm greetings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to President Putin.

Glad to call on the Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin in Moscow, the defence minister said on 'X'.

Singh embarked on the three-day trip to Russia on Sunday. -- PTI

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday met families of the victims of violence in Sambhal at his 10 Janpath residence and offered them all possible help, sources said.

 

AICC general secretary and Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was also present during the meeting.

The Uttar Pradesh government had earlier denied permission to both Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi to travel to Sambhal and visit the victims' families.

The Gandhi siblings were on their way to Sambhal on December 4 but were stopped by the Uttar Pradesh Police at the Ghazipur border.

Rahul Gandhi had termed the action "anti-constitutional".

After being stopped at the Ghazipur border, Rahul Gandhi said he was ready to go to Sambhal alone with the police but was not allowed.

Violence erupted during a court-ordered survey of a Mughal-era mosque in Sambhal on November 24 as protesters clashed with security personnel. Four people were killed in the violence and many more were injured. --PTI 

Bangladesh on Tuesday acknowledged 88 incidents of communal violence against minorities, primarily Hindus, following the ouster of then-premier Sheikh Hasina in August.

 

Interim government head Muhammad Yunus' press secretary Shafiqul Alam also said that 70 people have been arrested in those incidents.

He made the disclosure a day after Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri flagged regrettable incidents of attacks on minorities and conveyed India's concerns, including those related to the safety and welfare of minorities, during his meetings with the Bangladeshi leadership.

A total of 88 cases have been filed in incidents related to minorities from August 5 to October 22, Alam told reporters.

"The number of cases and arrests is likely to increase as new incidents of violence have also been reported in (northeastern Sunamganj, (central) Gazipur, and other areas," he said.

He added that there might be cases where some victims were members of the previous ruling party.

The government has so far insisted that other than a few incidents, Hindus were not attacked because of their faiths.

"Some attacks targeted individuals who were former members of the ruling party or they were the result of personal disputes. Nevertheless, since violence occurred, the police are taking appropriate action," he said.

Alam said that details regarding the incidents that took place after October 22 will be shared soon.

There have been a spate of incidents of violence against Hindus and other minorities, as well as attacks on temples in Bangladesh in the last few weeks that triggered strong concerns in New Delhi. -- PTI 

A day after a 34-year-old techie from Uttar Pradesh died by suicide after blaming his wife and her family, the police on Tuesday said they have been booked for abetment of suicide.

Atul Subhash, who worked for a private firm in Bengaluru, left behind a 24-page death note, giving extensive details of what he alleged was years long of emotional distress of marital issues; multiple cases filed against him and harassment by his wife, her relatives, and a judge based in Uttar Pradesh, police said.

Subhash's body was found hanging at his residence in the Manjunath Layout area, which falls under the Marathahalli police station limits, they added. A placard reading "Justice is due" was found in the room where he ended his life.

Before taking the drastic step, he recorded an over 80-minute video on Rumble, explaining the circumstances under which he had decided to die by suicide.

In the video, which has now gone viral on social media platforms, Subhash can be heard saying, "I feel that I should kill myself because the money I earn is making my enemies stronger. That same money will be used to destroy me, and this cycle will keep going.

"With the money from my taxes, this court and police system will harass me, my family, and other good people. So, the supply of value should be finished."

He demanded that, after his death, his wife and her family should not be allowed near his body. Until his alleged harassers were punished, he asked his family not to immerse his ashes.

Demanding justice, Subhash urged his family to throw the ashes outside the court's gutter if his alleged harassers were not found guilty.

"Based on a complaint from his family, we have registered a case of abetment of suicide against his wife and her family members. All the allegations are being looked into, and we are investigating into the matter," a senior police officer said. No arrests have been made yet, he added. -- PTI

The Supreme Court on Tuesday took note of the CBI's latest status report and expressed confidence that the trial in the rape and murder of a doctor at RG Kar Medical College Hospital at Kolkata was likely to conclude in a month.

After perusing the CBI's report, a bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar noted the trial was proceeding on a daily basis -- Monday to Thursday -- at the Special CBI Court in Sealdah. 

It observed of the total 81 witnesses, the prosecution had recorded statements of 43 witnesses.

The bench further directed the parties to share their recommendations and suggestions on preventing gender-based violence and developing safety protocols for doctors and medical staff at hospitals across the nation with the court-appointed national task force (NTF).

The bench directed the NTF to file a report within 12 weeks from Tuesday for its consideration.

"All recommendations and suggestions be sent to the National Task force and a reply be filed by the states and UTs (union territories) to the last report of the NTF,  the CJI said.

The body of the post-graduate trainee doctor was found in the hospital's seminar room on August 9 following which the Kolkata police arrested civic volunteer Sanjay Roy the next day in connection with the crime.

While taking a suo motu notice of the case, the bench constituted the NTF on August 20 to formulate a protocol to ensure safety and security of medical professionals in the wake of the crime.

In November, the NTF in its report -- part of the Central government's affidavit -- said a separate central law to deal with offences against health care professionals was not required.

The panel said the state laws had adequate provisions to address the day-to-day minor offences besides serious ones under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.

In a slew of its recommendations, the NTF said 24 states had already enacted laws to address violence against health care professionals, also defining the terms "health care institutions" and "medical professionals".

It said two more states had introduced their Bills in this regard.

The members of NTF include surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin, AVSM, VSM, Director General, Medical Services (Navy) Dr D Nageshwar Reddy, Chairman and Managing Director, Asian Institute of Gastroenterology and AIG Hospitals, Hyderabad and Dr M Srinivas, Director, Delhi AIIMS. -- PTI

A 35-year-old man was found dead in a local theatre in Rayadurgam in this district during a matinee show of Pushpa 2, said a police official on Tuesday.

Kalyandurgam Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Ravi Babu stated that Harijana Madhannappa was found dead around 6 pm on Monday by the theatre's cleaning staff.

"It is not clear when he died, but the cleaning staff found him dead at around 6 pm after the matinee show," Babu told PTI.

According to the police, Madhannappa entered the theatre for the matinee show at around 2.30 pm on Monday in an inebriated state.

"He was a father of four children and had a history of alcohol addiction. He was already drunk and consumed more alcohol inside the theatre," said a police official.

The police have registered a case under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Act. -- PTI 

RJD president Lalu Prasad on Tuesday took a dig at Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's proposed statewide 'Mahila Samvad Yatra', saying it was to "ogle at women", triggering sharp reactions from the ruling BJP and JD-U.

The BJP and JDU leaders claimed that Prasad insulted women in the state with his comment.

"Aankh Sekne Jaa Rahe Hain Apna" was Prasad's quizzical reply, which used to be a Bihari slang, to berate Kumar when asked about the CM's plans to embark on the 'Mahila Samvad Yatra'.

Criticising him, Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary said, "We knew Lalu ji is physically ill. But today he has shown that he has a sick mind."

Bihar BJP president Dilip Jaiswal said the comment showed the veteran leader's mindset.

"Lalu Ji has insulted women by making such a remark against our chief minister. We don't give importance to what Lalu ji claimed," he said.

Union Minister and senior BJP leader Giriraj Singh, who had formerly served in Kumar's cabinet, voiced disgust over the remark of the RJD supremo, exclaiming "Chhi! Chhi! Chhi! (shame)".

Talking to reporters in Delhi, Singh said, "Only Lalu Prasad can say such bad things about Nitish Kumar. Lalu is a selfish man whose whole life has been tainted." -- PTI

A man has been arrested for allegedly raping a 12-year-old girl after she refused to withdraw a complaint of molestation against him in Madhya Pradesh's Jabalpur district, police said on Tuesday.

The 43-year-old accused was arrested on Monday for the crime that occurred on December 5, Superintendent of Police (SP) S Upadhyay told reporters.

The official said the accused had been released on bail a few days ago in a molestation case registered against him based on a complaint lodged by the girl.

He was pressuring the girl's family to withdraw the complaint. On December 5, the accused arrived at the girl's house and raped her after she again refused to take back the complaint, he said.

When the child's parents found her unwell and questioned her, she informed them about the assault, the official said.

The accused has been booked under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, he said. -- PTI 

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi told party's Lok Sabha MPs Tuesday not to react to comments of "middle- and low-rung" leaders of INDIA bloc parties and asserted that the Congress as the largest party in the opposition grouping is capable of addressing issues, sources said.

 

The advice by Gandhi comes amid various leaders of the INDIA bloc weighing in on the leadership issue and TMC leaders aggressively pitching for West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to head the opposition alliance.

The sources said that Gandhi, who chaired a meeting of the party's Lok Sabha MPs at Parliament Annexe here this morning, also told the MPs to ensure that all of them are present for party's protest ahead of the Parliament sittings, especially when Congress president is participating.

They said Gandhi urged leaders not to react to comments of other opposition parties' "middle- and low-rung" leaders and stressed that the Congress as the largest party in the opposition grouping is capable of addressing issues.

Gandhi said the protests by opposition on the Adani issue was making the government jittery and they must continue to raise people's issues. The leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha stressed that he wanted the House to function so that opposition voice is heard, party sources said.

Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is understood to have urged MPs to come up with innovative ideas of protest as had been seen in the past few days. -- PTI

ISKCON's Kolkata centre on Tuesday called upon the UNHCR to take note of atrocities on religious minorities in Bangladesh and said such violations of human rights are deeply saddening.

The interim government in Bangladesh should take strong action against the fundamentalists fomenting trouble in that country and arrest them to build confidence among the minorities there, ISKCON Kolkata spokesperson Radharamn Das said.

His comment comes on the occasion of the Human Rights Day. 

"Wake up, @UNHumanRights! Wake up at least today, on #HumanRightsDay. Your silence and blind eye toward the ongoing #Bangladesh human rights violations are deeply saddening and heartbreaking," Das said on X.

He also claimed that the MPs of countries like the US and the United Kingdom have spoken out against the atrocities in Bangladesh, but the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHCR) is yet to come up with a response to the human rights violations in that country.

Posting a video of a fundamentalist purportedly threatening the Hindu minorities and ISKCON in Bangladesh, Das said, "Just listen to this open call of genocide against Bangladeshi minorities & wake up."

The authenticity of the video can't be verified independently.

Das said that the ISKCON serves and feeds all people irrespective of their religious beliefs in Bangladesh as it does in several other countries in the world.

"We only want minorities and ISKCON are safeguarded in Bangladesh," Das said. -- PTI

Police on Tuesday informed a court in Mumbai that they needed to probe if the driver of the BEST bus that mowed down seven persons and injured 42 others had committed the act "deliberately" and used the vehicle as a "weapon".

The court has remanded the driver, Sanjay More (54), to police custody till December 21.

The bus operated by the civic-run Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking hit several vehicles and pedestrians in the incident, which took place at around 9.30 pm on Monday on the SG Barve Marg in Kurla (West).

More was detained after the incident. He was later arrested and booked under sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and 110 (attempt to commit culpable homicide) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and relevant provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act.

The police produced him before a magistrate court and sought his remand, citing that the alleged crime was serious and a thorough investigation was needed.

It submitted that it needed to investigate the accused's intention in committing the crime and if there was any conspiracy.

Police further said it needed to probe if the driver used the bus in his possession as a "weapon" and drove it recklessly in a congested area, endangering the lives of passengers and pedestrians.

It is necessary to investigate if the accused had received the training to drive the bus and if he was under the influence of narcotics at the time of the incident, they said.

Police also said the transport department was yet to examine the bus involved in an accident. -- PTI

Union minister Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday dubbed the opposition INDIA bloc's move to submit a notice for removal of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar as "extremely regrettable" and said the government is very proud of him.

   

Talking to reporters in New Delhi, the parliamentary affairs minister said the vice president, who is also chairperson of the Rajya Sabha, is extremely professional and impartial.

In a first, parties of the INDIA bloc on Tuesday submitted a notice to bring a motion in Rajya Sabha for the removal of Dhankhar, accusing him of "partisan" conduct as the chairperson of the Upper House.

If the motion is moved, these parties need a simple majority to get it passed, but they do not have the requisite numbers in the 243-member House. 

Opposition members, however, insisted that it was a "strong message to fight for parliamentary democracy".

On behalf of the opposition, Congress leaders Jairam Ramesh and Naseer Hussain submitted the notice signed by 60 opposition MPs -- including from the Congress, RJD, TMC, CPI, CPI-M, JMM, AAP, DMK, Samajwadi Party -- to Rajya Sabha Secretary General P C Mody. -- PTI 

Punjab farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher on Tuesday said protesting farmers will resume their foot march to Delhi on December 14 as there has been no message so far from the government side for holding talks.

   

The decision on the march was taken in a meeting of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha on Tuesday.

Speaking to reporters at the Shambhu border protest site, Pandher said, "We did not want farmers to be blamed that they do not want to hold talks to find a way out. We gave time...but there has been no message from the government (Centre) side for talks."

"Now, the decision taken by both the forums is that our next jatha (group) of 101 farmers will leave on December 14 for Delhi (from the Shambhu border)," he said.

On Monday, Pandher had accused the Centre of being confused on how the protesters should proceed to the national capital. He had also said they will decide their next course of action in a meeting on Tuesday.

Agitating farmers suspended their foot march to Delhi from the Shambhu border on Sunday after some of them sustained injuries in teargas shelling by Haryana security personnel who thwarted yet another attempt by the protesters to cross the Punjab-Haryana border.

Meanwhile, farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal's fast unto death entered 15th day on Tuesday.

Another farmer leader Abhimanyu Kohar told reporters at the Khanauri border protest site that during the past 15 days, Dallewal has grown weak and he required support to walk.

"Doctors are monitoring his vital signs. His weight has fallen by more than 11 kg and his blood sugar levels are fluctuating. Doctors are worried that at any time an emergency situation can arise pertaining to his health," Kohar said.

No meal was cooked on Tuesday by farmers at Khanauri in solidarity with Dallewal, he said.

Meanwhile, Pandher appealed to farmers to reach the two protest sites in numbers on December 13, which marks the 10 months of their protest at the Shambhu and Khanauri points. -- PTI

The show was organised as part of a cultural evening at Hotel Rambagh Palace for delegates attending the three-day Rising Rajasthan Global Investment Summit. 

Nigam, known for hit songs Yeh Dil Deewana, Suraj Hua Maddham, Abhi Mujhmein Kahin, and Aisa Pehli Baar Hua Hai, in a video message shared on his Instagram account said if someone wants to leave the concert midway, they should not bother attending the show in the first place. 

"I saw that CM sahab and others got up and left in the middle of the show. As soon as they left, all the delegates also left. This is my request to all these politicians that if you yourself do not appreciate your artist then what will the people outside do. What would they think? I have never seen such a thing," the 51-year-old said. 

"My request to you is that if you have to get up and leave, either you should not come or should leave before the show starts. It is very rude to get up and leave in the middle of any artist's performance. This is an insult to (goddess) Saraswati," he added. 

Nigam said he didn't notice the chief minister and delegates leaving. 

"But I later received many messages from people (on social media) asking me to not do shows like this anymore for politicians where they get up and leave midway," he said. 

If they have to, the singer said politicians must try to leave before the performance begins. 

"I know you have a lot of work... You should not waste your time on a show. You should leave early. Very humbly, it's a request to all of you." 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the summit at the Jaipur Exhibition and Convention Center in Sitapura on Monday.

BJP leader Gopichand Padalkar on Tuesday dared NCP-SP chief Sharad Pawar to ask his daughter and grandnephew to resign as MP and MLA, respectively, if they don't trust EVMs.

This remark of Padalkar, a vocal critic of Pawar, comes amid an intense debate in the opposition camp over the credibility of EVMs following the massive rout in the Maharashtra assembly polls.

BJP MLA Padalkar and MLC Sadabhau Khot addressed a public meeting in Markadwadi village in Solapur district which has emerged as the epicentre of anti-EVM protests after villagers unsuccessfully tried to hold a mock "repoll" using ballot papers last week.

Separately, Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole visited the village under the Malshiras assembly constituency to express solidarity with villagers.

Patole alleged that attempts are being made to abrogate the voting rights of people by using Electronic Voting Machines in elections.

"Amid such attempts, people of Markadwadi have revolted for the protection of Indian democracy. I am here to understand the sentiments of the people and to witness the movement started by them," the Congress leader told reporters.

Patole claimed several villages in Maharashtra are adopting resolutions in their gram sabhas against EVMs in future polls.

"Villagers of Mangaon in Raigad district tried to demonstrate the functioning of EVM but police stopped them. Why is the government stopping people who have the right to know who they voted for?" he asked.

Patole said the opposition would raise the injustice meted out to several residents of Markadwadi who were booked by police with the administration and the Election Commission.

Addressing a public meeting, Padalkar accused Sharad Pawar of trying to portray the Dhangar community in Markadwadi village negatively.

"Pawar tried to create the impression that the Dhangar community is against the democratic election process. I have come here to foil Pawar's attempts," the Dhangar leader said.

In a stinging attack on Pawar, Padalkar said, "One Sharad Pawar is born after 100 Shakuni mamas die".

"Pawar tried to create an impression that Dhangars didn't believe in law. In 100 villages in the (Malshiras) constituency, why Markadwadi was chosen (for anti-EVM protest)? The Dhangar community respects democracy," Padalkar said.

The MLA from Jat in Sangli district challenged Pawar to ask his daughter and Baramati MP Supriya Sule, his grandnephew Rohit Pawar, and (state NCP-SP chief) Jayant Patil to resign before launching protests against EVMs.

"The Congress-led UPA was elected to power two times with the same EVMs. Pawar saheb won from the Madha Lok Sabha constituency in the 2009 polls when same EVMs were deployed. But he never visited Markadwadi despite being its representative," Padalkar said while terming Pawar as the "greatest betrayer".

He said Pawar had hailed the opposition MVA's victory in the Lok Sabha elections but when the tables were turned and Mahayuti triumphed in the assembly polls, the NCP-SP chief is taking refuge in EVMs. -- PTI

Ginza Vualzong, ITLF spokesperson, discusses the contents of this letter with Prasanna D Zore/Rediff.com and why the Kukis fear the CRPF.

Read the interview here. 

 According to sources, there can be a discussion on giving the command of the alliance to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The role of INDIA Bloc in the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections can also be discussed in the meeting. 

 Notably, Sharad Pawar recently acknowledged the leadership potential of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, emphasising her prominence as a national leader and the competence of her party's representatives in Parliament. 

 Pawar expressed his support last week, stating, "Yes, certainly (she is capable of leading the alliance). She is a prominent leader of this nation... she has that capability. The elected leaders she sent to Parliament are responsible, dutiful, and well-aware people. Therefore, she has the right to say so." 

 Earlier today, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Chief Lalu Yadav stirred a political storm with his remarks backing Mamata Banerjee for the leadership of the INDIA Bloc. 

 Speaking to ANI in Patna, Lalu Yadav said, "Congress's objection means nothing. We will support Mamata. Mamata Banerjee should be given the leadership (of the INDIA Bloc). We will form the government again in 2025." His statement has drawn mixed reactions from across the political spectrum. -- ANI

 The 30-share BSE Sensex rises 1.59 points to close flat at 81,510.05. During the day, it climbed 217.88 points or 0.27 per cent to hit an intraday high of 81,726.34. The NSE Nifty fell 8.95 points or 0.04 per cent to settle at 24,610.05. In the intraday trade, it slipped 108.35 points or 0.44 per cent to hit a low of 24,510.65.

The actress shares this image among others on X saying: 

"I'm always amazed by how, the same me can look so different through the lense of a different artist/photographer. 

These images were shot by the super talented Greg Alexander an hour after I landed in Cannes for the film festival. I had never worked with the #LofficielMonaco team before so everything was new & exciting. 

Luckily everything went as planned and the entire shoot was done in a hour or so thanks to my dearest friend Dalia Raiyen who is an absolute star & the sweetest friend. I love you babe.

This post is an appreciation post for everyone that worked on this shoot & for my friend Dalia. This is a great example of how team work makes the dream work So let's take some time out today & thank those amazing people that make us, and our work look better, by their valuable contributions and their hard work behind the scenes. 

 #throwback #photoshoot #ting."

 The driver, Sanjay More, has been booked for 'culpable homicide not amounting to murder', a day after the horrific crash. 

The bus operated by the civic-run Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking hit several vehicles and pedestrians at around 9.30 pm on Monday on the SG Barve Marg in Kurla (West). 

More, who was at the wheel of the bus, was detained after the accident and later arrested under the provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The police produced him before a magistrate court's and sought his remand for further probe into the accident. The court allowed the police plea and sent More to their custody till December 21. PTI

The BJP has referred to the 6 Flag Staff Road bungalow as "sheesh mahal" -- or palace of mirrors, which denotes luxury.

"We have been telling you the truth about the glass palace of debauchery of the person who calls himself a common man @ArvindKejriwal, today we will show it to you too! He has built a 7-Star Resort for himself by embezzling public money!" Delhi BJP president Virendraa Sachdeva said in an online post.

Sachdeva shared a video of inside Kejriwal's former bungalow which has a jacuzzi, sauna, a very fancy looking bathroom, a gym etc.

Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Tuesday said that a government accommodation will soon be allotted to AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal, which he is entitled to as the chief of a national party. 

Responding to a question at a press conference, Khattar said that as the president of a national party, Kejriwal is entitled to a Type VII bungalow. However, all Type VII bungalows are currently occupied, he added. "At present, we only have Type V and VI bungalows available, but there is currently no availability of Type VII bungalows. Kejriwal will be allotted a Type VII bungalow as soon as it is available," Khattar said.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has been demanding a central government accommodation for Kejriwal, asserting that he is entitled to it as the convenor of a national party. 

A bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar said the NTF will file its report within 12 weeks from Tuesday for its consideration. The top court constituted the NTF on August 20 to formulate a protocol for ensuring safety and security of medical professionals in the wake of the rape and murder of a doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. 

 While hearing the suo motu case on Tuesday, the CJI said the case would be next heard in the week commencing March 17, 2025, but suggested the parties could seek an earlier hearing if the rape and murder trial of the case was delayed.

In November, the NTF in its report -- part of the Central government's affidavit -- stated that a separate central law to deal with offences against health care professionals was not required. The panel said the state laws had adequate provisions to address the day-to-day minor offences besides the serious ones under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.

 In a slew of recommendations in its report, the NTF said 24 states had already enacted laws to address violence against health care professionals, whereby the terms "health care institutions" and "medical professionals" were also defined. 

 It said two more states had introduced their Bills in this regard. On September 17, the top court said it was disturbed by the findings given in the CBI's status report in the case while refusing to divulge the details and observed that any disclosure may jeopardise the ongoing investigation. PTI

Animesh Mandal (44) is a deputy superintendent-rank IB official posted in Nagpur and he was innocent, his lawyer Faizal Rizvi told reporters here two days ago. On November 14, Mandal allegedly told the crew of the IndiGo flight after it took off that there was a bomb on the plane. 

 The flight was diverted to Raipur, but after a thorough search upon landing, the information was found to be baseless. Mandal was arrested by Raipur Police under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita section 351 (4) (criminal intimidation by anonymous communication) and provisions of the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against Safety of Civil Aviation Act, 1982. -- PTI

 The former Delhi chief minister said Rs 2,500 would be given twice yearly as uniform allowance to auto drivers. He also assured their children of free coaching and the relaunching of the 'PoochO' app. 

 The app allows people to access the database developed by the Delhi Integrated Multi-Model Transit System of registered auto drivers' mobile numbers and call them up to book a ride. The elections for the 70-member Delhi Assembly are due in February next year. 

The AAP pitted against the BJP and the Congress, is working hard to retain power for a third time in a row. PTI

While taking cognisance of Justice Yadav's reported speech, the Allahabad High Court was directed to furnish details over the matter. 

"The Supreme Court has taken note of the newspaper reports of a speech given by Mr Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav, a sitting judge of the High Court of Judicature at Allahabad. The details and particulars have been called from the High Court and the matter is under consideration (sic)," an official statement said. 

 The main aim of the uniform civil code is to promote social harmony, gender equality and secularism, the judge had said at a VHP function. 

 The judge made the remarks on December 8 while addressing a provincial convention of the legal cell and high court unit of the Vishva Hindu Parishad in Allahabad High Court. 

 A day later, videos of the judge speaking on provocative issues, including the law working according to the majority, were circulated widely, triggering strong reactions from various opposition parties which questioned his reported statements and labelled it as hate speech. -- PTI

 Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Neha Mittal heard the submissions made by Advocate Rajat Bhardwaj that before issuing the notice, the complainant should be permitted to leads pre summoning evidence.

 Jain has alleged that Swaraj had made defamatory remarks against him during an interview on a TV channel on October 5, 2023. This interview was watched by Millions of people. He has claimed that these remarks were made by Bansuri Swaraj to defame him and to gain undue political advantage. -- ANI

 "It was a courtesy visit from Adani. He could not attend the swearing-in ceremony of Fadnavis, hence met him today," a source said.

 Scripting a powerful comeback, Fadnavis (54) took oath as chief minister of the state on December 5 at a grand ceremony in south Mumbai's sprawling Azad Maidan in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, several Union ministers and chief ministers of various states besides thousands of supporters of the Mahayuti alliance.

 Actors Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Ranbir Kapoor and Madhuri Dixit, cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar and industrialist Mukesh Ambani also attended the ceremony. -- PTI

Responding to reporters' queries outside the finance ministry, Malhotra said, "One has to understand the turf, all perspectives and do what's best for the economy." 

Malhotra, 56, who is currently the revenue secretary in the ministry of finance, was on Monday evening named by the government to succeed Shaktikanta Das as the governor of the central bank. 

A 1990-batch IAS officer of the Rajasthan cadre, Malhotra, has more than three decades of experience in public policy with expertise in areas like power, finance, and taxation. 

He takes guard at a time when the Indian economy is faced with the dual challenge of slowing growth rate and high inflation. 

While Das kept benchmark interest rates unchanged for almost two years in a bid to control inflation, the incoming governor is said to be a team player who believes prices cannot be managed by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) alone and the task needs government help as well. 

He takes over as the 26th governor of the RBI at a time when it is under pressure to cut interest rates to support growth. 

The GDP growth slowed to a seven-quarter low of 5.4 per cent in the July-September period while the inflation accelerated to a 14-month high of 6.21 per cent in October. 

The government-mandated inflation target for the RBI is 4 per cent, plus or minus two percentage points.

 All constituents of the alliance are willing to have a discussion on the issue, he told reporters. 

 Raut was reacting to Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad's comment that West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee should be allowed to lead the INDIA bloc. 

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge is at present the chairman of the Opposition grouping, formed before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Talking to reporters in Delhi, Raut, a Rajya Sabha member, said his party's ties with the Congress leadership including Kharge and Rahul Gandhi were excellent. 

 Congress is a national party and has the highest number of MPs among the INDIA allies, he noted. 

 "Still, if the INDIA bloc is to be strengthened again, everyone wishes to discuss (issues related to) leadership, who can give time to the alliance....(whether it could be) Mamata Banerjee, Uddhav Thackeray, Lalu Prasad, Sharad Pawar or Akhilesh Yadav," Raut said. Even BJD chief Naveen Patnaik, whose party is not a part of the bloc, can join INDIA, he said. "We are talking to each other on this issue," said the Sena (UBT) leader.

 Earlier this week, Banerjee had expressed her intent to take charge of the anti-BJP coalition. Notably, the ties between the Shiv Sena (UBT) led by Uddhav Thackeray and Congress have come under strain in Maharashtra after the Opposition's Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance fared poorly in the assembly elections.

"Within a matter of a few hours Bungalow received 2 incredible global recognitions. 

1. Top 14 New Restaurants by The New York Times 

2. Michelin 2024 Bib Gourmand Award. 

Just 5 years ago, my life was my sister's healing process + Feed India + Fighting for my freedom. I'd left hope of ever opening another Indian Restaurant. From NYU to Cornell to Columbia hospitals. That was my life. If it was not about a promise to my Radha, I wouldn't have started this journey. 

Bungalow was born out of promises + heartbreaks + devotion to serve Indian culture & cuisine to the World. Khanna + Rizvi + Bhatt became ONE for this dream. Thank you Universe for giving us this historic moment."

Bungalow, Chef Khanna's restaurant in New York is known for serving Indian dishes and flavours with a twist to the presentation. From staple dal to lamb seekh kebab, the menu features the finest delicacies from the country. Believe it or not, people across the table want to get a reservation at the restaurant which is always overflowing with happy customers.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has announced a holiday for schools, colleges, and government offices on Wednesday to honour the memory of former Karnataka CM and External Affairs Minister SM Krishna, who passed away on Tuesday.

 In a post on Social Media X, he claimed that the concerned driver of bus did not have experience of driving a big vehicle.

 "Shocking information has come forward that the bus driver in this accident is a contract driver and the driver had no experience in driving a bus. How did this driver get the job when he had no experience of driving a big vehicle, was the driver not checked before being allowed to drive such a big bus? The BEST administration is responsible for this unforgivable act, so strict action must be taken against the culprits. We demand that the government should provide immediate assistance to the families of the deceased and the injured in the accident," he said. 

 He also offered condolences to those who lost their lives in the tragedy. Earlier, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis ordered immediate financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh each to the families of the deceased in the Kurla bus accident, the Maharashtra Chief Minister Office (CMO) said on Tuesday.

 Maharashtra CM has also said that the treatment of the injured in accident will be borne by BEST and BMC. Meanwhile as per recent updates, the death toll in the Kurla rises to 7 and the number of injured people increases to 49, according to Fire Department officials.

 This is the latest in the series of unusual protests led by the Congress daily ahead of the sitting of Parliament in the morning. Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, MPs from the Congress, DMK, JMM, Left, among others, protested in front of the Makar Dwar steps. 

 They were carrying black 'jholas' with caricatures of Modi and Adani printed on one side and 'Modi Adani Bhai Bhai' written on the obverse side of the bag. They raised slogans against alleged collusion between Modi and Adani and demanded a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into the matter. 

 Earlier, Gandhi chaired a meeting of Congress MPs in the Lok Sabha to take stock of the party's stance on various issues and the way forward in Parliament. -- PTI

"Mamata ko INDIA gathbandhan ka leadership milna chahiye," Lalu told the media in Patna.

Lalu's stand in favour of Mamata is seen as a setback to the Congress and its leader Rahul Gandhi.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut says, "No one is questioning Rahul Gandhi's leadership.  He is the leader of all of us. If some of our allies, be it TMC, Laluji, Akhileshji, have a different opinion about the INDIA alliance, the fact remains we all have formed the INDIA alliance together. If someone wants to say something new and wants to strengthen the INDIA alliance then it should be considered and Congress should join the discussion and put forward its point."

 Judicial Magistrate Yashdeep Chahal passed the order against the 89-year-old actor on a complaint filed by Delhi businessman, Sushil Kumar, who alleged that he was lured into investing in the franchise, the lawyer D D Pandey said. 

 The evidence on record prima facie indicates that the accused persons induced the complainant in furtherance of their common intent and the ingredients of offence of cheating are duly disclosed, the judge said in the order passed on December 5. 

 The judge said there was prima facie case of cheating and criminal conspiracy and directed the accused persons to appear before the court on February 20. 

 The judge noted that the documents on record pertained to Garam Dharam Dhaba and letter of intent also had logo of the said restaurant. It is fairly apparent that transaction between the parties pertains to Garam Dharam Dhaba and was being pursued by the co-accused on behalf of accused Dharam Singh Deol, the court noted. 

 According to the complaint, in April 2018, the co-accused had approached him on behalf of Dharam Singh Deol (Dharmendra) with an offer to open a franchise of Garam Dharma Dhaba on NH-24/NH-9 in Uttar Pradesh. He claimed that he handed over a cheque for an amount of Rs 17.70 lakh in September 2018.However, the accused stopped responding to him thereafter, the complainant alleged. -- PTI

In a social media post shared on Tuesday, Das thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for entrusting him with the role of RBI Governor and providing guidance and encouragement throughout his term.

 "Immensely grateful to the Hon'ble PM @narendramodi for giving me this opportunity to serve the country as Governor RBI and for his guidance and encouragement. Benefited a lot from his ideas and thoughts," Das wrote.

He also extended his gratitude to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, highlighting the robust fiscal-monetary coordination during his tenure.

"Heartfelt thanks to Hon'ble FM @nsitharaman for her constant support and backing. The fiscal-monetary coordination was at its best and helped us to deal with the multiple challenges during the last six years," he said.

Das acknowledged the inputs and suggestions received from stakeholders across various sectors, including the financial, agriculture, cooperative, and service industries.

He expressed appreciation for experts, economists, and industry bodies for their valuable contributions to policymaking.

In his message, Das also praised the RBI team for their collective efforts in navigating a challenging global economic environment marked by unprecedented shocks.

"A BIG thank you to the entire Team RBI. Together, we successfully navigated an exceptionally difficult period of unprecedented global shocks. May the RBI grow even taller as an institution of trust and credibility," he added.

As Shaktikanta Das bids farewell, his tenure is remembered for its role in steering the Indian economy through turbulent times, including the COVID-19 pandemic and global economic uncertainties.

The govt has appointed Sanjay Malhotra, currently serving as the revenue secretary at the Ministry of Finance as the new Governor of Reserve Bank of India.

"Rahul Gandhi enjoys creating a tamasha and abusing the Prime Minister but other MPs have responsibilities towards the people who have elected them. All he has to do is create a tamasha here and then go abroad to enjoy his holidays," the Union Minister posted on X.

In another post, Rijiju posted a Rahul Gandhi's protest video outside the parliament and quoted that Congress leader doesn't care about people's problems because he has nothing to lose.

"Samajwadi Party, TMC, all Congress MPs in Rajya Sabha, some Congress MPs in Lok Sabha & many Party MPs are really interested to participate in the Parliament Debate & Discussion.. Rahul Gandhi Ji has nothing to lose because he can't feel people's pain & problem but other MPs do!," he posted on X. 

Notably, members of Trinamool Congress Party (TMC) and Samajwadi Party were not a part of the protest. Nationalist Congress Party (NCP-SP) MP Supriya Sule was also not present in the protest held on Monday.

The death toll in the BEST bus accident in Mumbai has gone up to seven with four more persons succumbing to their injuries, officials said on Tuesday.

As many as 49 other persons were injured, as against initial reports of 22, in the incident which took place in Kurla (West) area at around 9.30 pm on Monday, they said.

Sharing details with the media after more than five hours of the accident, BEST said 'as per the initial information, the driver lost control of the bus'.

Further commenting on the accident, in which several vehicles were dragged or damaged along the way, the transport body said the bus 'speed accelerated' after the driver lost control over the wheels.

The bus driver, Sanjay More, has been detained, as per officials.

Three persons were brought dead from the crash site to nearby Bhabha Hospital, officials said on Monday night.

A civic official on Tuesday said the death toll has gone up to six.

The driver of the BEST bus lost control over the wheels on route A322 while plying from Kurla station to Sakinaka.

As a result, the bus dashed into pedestrians as well as some vehicles, according to officials.

The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking's bus, after ploughing through pedestrians and vehicles, entered into a residential society, Buddha Colony, and came to a halt, they said.

The bus was a 12-metre long electric vehicle manufactured by Hyderabad-based Olectra Greentech and it had been taken by BEST on wet lease, an official earlier said.

The Mumbai police have shut the SG Barve Marg, connecting to Kurla station, for traffic movement.

As a result, BEST is operating buses on as many as 10 routes from other nearby locations instead of plying to Kurla station, an official from the transport body said.

Barve road is one of the busiest routes connecting to Kurla station.

Scores of passengers take buses to reach the Bandra-Kurla Complex and other locations from Kurla bus stand located on Barve road.  -- PTI

Former External Affairs Minister and Karnataka Chief Minister S M Krishna died at his residence early Tuesday morning. The 92-year-old veteran politician was ailing for quite some time, a family source said. 

"He breathed his last at 2:45 am at his residence. Mortal remains are likely to be taken to Maddur today," the source said. Somanahalli Mallaiah Krishna is survived by wife Prema and two daughters.

 In the evening, Wagh was found murdered near Yavat on Pune-Solapur Highway in the district, around 40 kilometres from the spot he was abducted, Additional Commissioner of Police Manoj Patil said. "There were multiple injuries on the body. Several teams have fanned out to nab the accused. A team was at the spot to conduct panchnama," Patil said.

 Earlier on Monday, a police official said Tilekar's family did not receive any call for ransom nor had they raised suspicion on anyone. Wagh had interests in farming and also owned a hotel near Shewalwadi, as per police sources. -- PTI

Telugu actor Mohan Babu on Monday filed a police complaint, alleging that his younger son M Manoj and daughter-in-law 'orchestrated' a plan to take possession of his home in the Jalpally area of Hyderabad through intimidation and force.

M Manoj, who is also an actor, also lodged a complaint, alleging 10 unidentified persons had entered his home on Sunday before trying to flee when he noticed them.

Manoj said in his complaint lodged at Pahadishareef police station that he tried to catch them and there was a scuffle, which led to him suffering injuries, a police official said.

He also requested the police to take necessary steps to grant protection to him, his wife and their children and investigate the matter to ascertain the identity of those who had illegally entered his home.

Mohan Babu, in his complaint addressed to Commissioner of Police (Rachakond), alleged that Manoj and some anti-social elements hired by him caused disturbance at his residence on Sunday.

One of his employees informed him on Monday that 30 individuals trespassed into the residence, threatened the staff and evicted them from the premises, he said.

These individuals, acting on the instructions of Manoj and his wife, 'illegally' occupied his house, the senior Telugu actor alleged. Mohan Babu requested the police to take action against Manoj, his wife and their associates and evict them from the house.

He also requested police protection to ensure his safety and allow him to access his house without fear.

A police official said they registered two cases based on the complaints.  -- PTI

Mahindra said it would be rebranding the model from BE 6e to BE 6 but planned to contest IndiGos claims in court.

Meanwhile, IndiGo told the court that it would not pursue an injunction against the automaker.

The matter will now be heard in April 2025.

IndiGo had taken Mahindra Electric Automobile to court for infringement of its trademark '6e' in the latters new electric car Mahindra BE 6e, which is expected to hit Indian roads in February 2025.

The dispute arose when the registrar of trademarks on November 25 accepted Mahindra Electrics request to register the BE 6e mark in Class 12.

Under trademark laws, there are a total of 45 classes of trademarks, with Classes 1-34 pertaining to products and Classes 35-45 relating to services.

IndiGo operates under callsign 6e,  which is also a key identifier of its branding. In aviation, a callsign is a group of letters and numbers used to identify an aircraft or aviator in air-ground communications (in this case, 6e).

The 6e brand also offers a wide range of services to its passengers, such as seat selection, priority check-in, complimentary snacks, and the ability to flexibly reschedule and cancel journey.

In addition, 6e add-ons also offer options for extra baggage, pre-booked meals, and lounge access.

Former Karnataka Chief Minister S M Krishna passed away at his residence early Tuesday morning, his family said.

The 92-year-old veteran politician was ailing for quite some time, a family source said.

"S.M. Krishna is no more. He breathed his last at 2:45 am at his residence. Mortal remains are likely to be taken to Maddur today," the source said. 

Somanahalli Mallaiah Krishna is survived by his wife Prema and two daughters Shambhavi and Malavika.

Born in Somanahalli in Karnataka's Mandya district on May 1, 1932, Krishna started his career in electoral politics in 1962 by winning the Maddur assembly seat as an independent.

He was then associated with the Praja Socialist Party before joining the Congress.

He later joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in March 2017, ending his nearly 50-year-long association with the Congress.

He announced his resignation from the Congress in January 2017, saying the party was in a state of confusion on whether it needed mass leaders or not. 

Krishna in January last year announced that he was retiring from active politics, citing his age as the reason.

He was the 16th Chief Minister of Karnataka from October 11, 1999, to May 28, 2004, (from Congress).

He also served as the Governor of Maharashtra and was the External Affairs Minister during the Manmohan Singh-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government from 2009 to 2012.

A law graduate, Krishna studied in the US graduating from the Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, and The George Washington University Law School in Washington DC, where he was a Fulbright Scholar. 

Krishna served as the Speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly from December 1989 to January 1993. He was also a member of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha several times between 1971 and 2014.

Krishna was a member of both the Karnataka Assembly and Council and also served as Deputy Chief Minister (1993 to 1994).

He was Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president ahead of the 1999 assembly polls in which the party won and he became the chief minister. 

Krishna is credited by many for putting Bengaluru on the global map as a fillip given to the IT sector during his tenure resulting in the city growing as India's Silicon Valley'.   -- PTI

While dismissing Ramesh's petition, the high court upheld the Union home ministry's 2019 order revoking his Indian citizenship. 

The court observed that Ramesh, the former MLA from the Vemulawada constituency, is not 'stateless' as he holds a German passport. 

The court found that Ramesh failed to provide documents proving he had renounced his German citizenship, despite the directions given by the court in this regard. 

The court directed Ramesh to pay Rs 25 lakh out of the Rs 30 lakh fine to Congress MLA Adi Srinivas from Vemulawada, who had previously challenged Ramesh's Indian citizenship, as legal expenses incurred by Adi Srinivas. 

Ramesh is also required to pay Rs 5 lakh to the Legal Services Authority of the high court within a month. 

Ramesh has been involved in a prolonged legal battle over his citizenship. He had been elected to the assembly four times, including in a bypoll. 

Adi Srinivas had alleged that Ramesh, without relinquishing his German citizenship, had obtained Indian citizenship in 2009 by misrepresenting his details regarding his stay in India and had also challenged Ramesh's election as MLA. 

The Central government had earlier informed the high court that Ramesh holds a German passport, which was renewed until 2033, and that he visited Germany three times in 2023. -- PTI

The police had earlier said the duo had jumped to death. 

According to a police officer, the duo -- Ishaan, a resident of Rajasthan's Bharatpur, and Harsh of Delhi's Palam Colony -- had a 'friendly scuffle' near the window of their room which was opened and they fell on the ground. 

Ishaan was pursuing BBA from Bhagwan Parshuram Institute of Technology while Harsh studied at Delhi Technological University, he said. 

"A PCR call was received at 1:10 am at the KNK Marg police station informing that two boys had fallen from the terrace of a building. The police team immediately visited the scene."  

"Upon local enquiry, it was found the two individuals, who were in a room on the fourth floor of a PG accommodation, had fallen through the window," a senior police officer said. 

Deputy commissioner of police (Rohini) Amit Goel, in a statement, said the spot was visited by a forensic department team and the cause of the fall was found to be accidental. 

A source said both the students were roommates and they shifted to the paying guest accommodation two months ago. 

On Sunday night, a few of their common friends had come to meet them. The source said that Ishan and Harsh along with their friends were playing cards when they picked up a 'friendly scuffle'. 

"All were sitting on the bed which was closer to the window. While playing cards the duo got into a friendly scuffle during which they fell through the window," the source added. -- PTI

Superintendent of police Krishan Kumar said the search operation was conducted in 13 houses by police teams, RAF, Rapid Response Force and Provincial Armed Constabulary and suspicious items were recovered from three houses. 

He said 93 packets of smack were recovered from the house of one Arshad, a .315 bore pistol from the house of Tajwar and another similar pistol as well as two cartridges were seized from the house of Mewar. 

The SP did not reveal the quantity of the smack recovered. 

Sambhal witnessed violence on November 24 during a court-ordered survey of the Mughal-era Shahi Jama Masjid in the Kot Garvi area of the city. 

Four people were killed and several were injured in the confrontation. The area has remained tense since then. 

The police officer said that 39 people have been arrested for their involvement in the violence and a search for the other accused is underway. -- PTI