Month: July 2024

Donald Trump

Bullet Pierced Upper Part Of My Ear: Trump After Attack

By LokMarg

Former US President Donald Trump, in his first account of being shot at during a rally in Pennsylvania, has said that the bullet fired at him “pierced” the upper part of his right ear. Trump said that he immediately knew something was wrong.

He also thanked the US Secret Service and law enforcement for their rapid response to the shooting that just took place in Pennsylvania’s Butler. He also offered condolences to the family of a person who was killed at the rally and the person who was injured.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated, “I want to thank The United States Secret Service, and all of Law Enforcement, for their rapid response on the shooting that just took place in Butler, Pennsylvania. Most importantly, I want to extend my condolences to the family of the person at the Rally who was killed, and also to the family of another person that was badly injured.”

“It is incredible that such an act can take place in our Country. Nothing is known at this time about the shooter, who is now dead. I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear. I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin. Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening. GOD BLESS AMERICA,” he added.

The gunfire incident, which comes months before the 2024 US presidential elections, disrupted Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, CBS News. Trump was immediately escorted off stage by US Secret Service agents and taken away in a motorcade. In the videos that went viral on social media, Trump could be seen bleeding from his ear.

Trump was taken away in a motorcade. He held up a fist as he sat in the SUV. His motorcade departed Butler Memorial Hospital a little before 9:30 pm (local time), CBS News reported, citing two sources.

It was unclear where Trump was headed. Initially, he was scheduled to travel to his estate in Bedminster, New Jersey, before travelling to Milwaukee for the Republican National Convention, which is scheduled to begin on Monday.

In a statement, the US Secret Service said that a suspected shooter fired multiple shots towards the stage from an elevated position outside of the rally venue during Trump’s campaign rally in Butler on July 13 at 6:15 pm (local time).

The US Secret Service personnel neutralized the shooter, who is now dead. According to the statement, one spectator was killed and another was critically injured and the incident is being investigated.

While sharing the US Secret Service’s statement on X, Chief of Communications for the United States Secret Service, Anthony Guglielmi, stated, “Here is the latest information from our investigation. We are grateful to the Secret Service team and our law enforcement partners for their swift action. Our thoughts go out to the families affected by this tragedy.”

In a statement, US Secret Service stated, “During former President Trump’s campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on the evening of July 13th at approximately 6:15 p.m., at the suspected shooter fired multiple shots toward the stage from an elevated position outside of the rally venue. US Secret Service personnel neutralized the shooter, who is now deceased.”

“US Secret Service quickly responded with protective measures and the former president is safe and being evaluated. One spectator was killed, two spectators were critically injured. The incident is currently under investigation and the Secret Service has formally notified the Federal Bureau of investigation,” it added.

Speaking to CBS News, law enforcement sources said that the suspect was shooting with an AR-style rifle from 200-300 feet away. According to law enforcement sources, the gunman was on top of a shed outside the security perimeter set up by the Secret Service. (ANI)

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India’s Russian Ties are More Complex than Putin-Modi Bear Hug

India’s Russian Ties are More Complex than Putin’s Bear Hug of Modi

By Sanjoy Narayan

Last week a video clip showing India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi hugging Russia’s President Vladimir Putin in Moscow went viral on social media. Commentators described it as Putin’s “bear hug” of Modi and said that it underscored India’s deep and long-standing partnership with Russia, which was forged in the Cold War years when Russia was still the Soviet Union, and has endured through the decades after the fall of the communist regime in 1991.

Modi’s visit to Russia predictably raised concerns in the West, especially as it coincided with the 75th annual meeting of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) in Washington, a crucial gathering this time as Russia’s war in Ukraine rages on for more than two years with no sign of an end. NATO, which is a strategic intergovernmental military alliance of 30 European and two North American countries, was concerned that Russia was supported by China and this increased the challenges that the West has been facing because of the latter’s rise and importance in geopolitics.

Modi arrived in Russia and was welcomed by Putin on the same day that Russian forces allegedly launched a massive missile attack in Kyiv, one of the most deadly since Russia attacked Ukraine in February 2022. The missiles struck civilian targets, including a childrens’ hospital. The viral video of Modi and Putin’s hugs was, therefore, not a good look. Yet, while India has not condemned the war it has never condoned it.

India’s Complex Foreign Policy Strategy

This time too Prime Minister Modi reiterated in Moscow and later in Vienna when he made a state visit to Austria that war was not a solution and that India believed in peace. But India has not categorically condemned Russia’s attack. There are reasons for that.

As a China-Russia bloc has emerged to challenge the West (US and its allies, including the European Union), India has carefully calibrated its foreign policy. It has not jumped on the West’s bandwagon; neither has it put in its lot with the Eastern bloc represented by China and Russia. This is not a new strategy. India’s finely tuned multilateral foreign policy has been a long standing one. 

True, India buys oil and defence equipment from Russia. Its oil imports from Russia have increased significantly after the attack on Ukraine following which the West imposed sanctions on Russia. However, things are not that simple. Russia has moved closer to China at a time when India’s relations with China have strained. Russia has also got closer to Pakistan, an arch rival of India. Pakistan is now part of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), which is a Eurasian political, economic, international security and defence organistion. SCO is often seen as NATO’s eastern rival, led by China and Russia, which challenges the West-dominated world order although unlike NATO it is not only a military alliance. Putin has recently declared that Pakistan is one of its primary partners in South Asia. 

Statements of that sort queer the pitch for India’s relations with Russia. As a middle power, unaligned with the West or the East, India straddles the divide between the blocs by having a finger in every pie. It is a member of BRICS, an intergovernmental organisation comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates; it is a member of the SCO; and it is also a member of the Indo-Pacific Quad, a strategic security dialogue between Australia, India, Japan and the US, which is seen as a strategic grouping to reduce China’s dominance in the region.

ALSO READ: Why Biden-Trump Debate Should Fill World With Horror

Inherent in these alignments with different groupings could be contradictions. For example, the Quad is aimed at curbing China, while in BRICS and SCO, China plays a lead role. Yet, India is part of all three. 

Moreover, under Modi, since 2014, India has been growing closer to the West. 

The rise of China and its challenge to the Western bloc has led to unprecedented ties between the US and India, which include security cooperation as part of the US’ Indo-Pacific strategy, essentially designed to counter China. Obviously, this is not something that Russia would support.

There was a time when India’s dependence on Russia for defence equipment and technology was high. In fact, Russia is still the biggest arms exporter to India but that is changing. India is now increasing its arms purchases from the US and France. In fact, after Russia, France is the second largest supplier of weapons to India, and the US is now the third largest. Indeed, with the ongoing war in Ukraine, Russian defence supplies available for India to buy are declining.

India’s multilateral foreign policy strategy can be a tricky tightrope to navigate but it has its advantages. Western observers can criticise India for not condemning Russia’s attack on Ukraine but the fact is that while it is true that India has not made an official statement that condemns the war, it has repeatedly officially stated that it does not support it. Prime Minister Modi has reiterated that in his meetings with Putin as well as elsewhere. 

In fact, India’s international policy has been to optimise and ensure its own interests while dealing with others, be it the Western or Eastern bloc. It buys relatively cheap Russian oil, technologically superior western defence equipment and arms, it allies with the US to counter threats from China, and also indicates its disapproval of the war in Ukraine. It is in what you might call an enviable sweet spot.

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Char Dham Project an Ecological Mess

Divine Disaster-I: ‘Char Dham Project an Ecological Mess for Uttarakhand’

By LokMarg

Dr Shiwani Pandey, a researcher and scholar on environmental politics, says the establishment has learned no lessons from the sinking of Joshimath. Her views:

In January last year when sinking of Joshimath appeared on the media, we as Himalayan environmentalists were all shocked by this Uttarakhand calamity which had been caused by religious tourism and unbridled, unchecked commercial construction of real estate, hotels, etc in the region. Several reports were written by experts, the entire issue was documented painstakingly. The media highlighted the issue in January 2023 but the residents had been protesting over the cracks since 2022. In fact, they had opposed the hydro power project ever since its was launched in 2004.

However, it took us great effort to make these authoritative reports public. The government tried its best to skirt the issue with fake explanations, and suppress the reports. The destruction is widespread and all-round. The railway project underway will further add to the serious ecological crisis. The hill state is sitting on a minefield.

Consider the fact that the small hill state of Uttarakhand supplies water to the cities in the entire northern plains. Yet, the people of this state, especially those in far-flung rural areas in the mountains, have been suffering with acute scarcity of water. People have to trek long distances in many places in search of water. Now, compare this to the current situation: in just about ten days of rain, look at the flooding, the landslides and the destruction around the hill districts.

It is not difficult to search for the reasons behind this disaster. The government is encouraging commercial and religious tourism, ignoring blocked roads, heavy traffic, multiple-jams which continue for days, with thousands stranded on small, mountain roads.

The policy-makers in the state and central government are obsessed with the Char Dham project, a pet venture of the prime minister. Thousands of trees have been cut, leading to widespread destruction of precious forests. The tunnel crisis near Uttarkashi in which miners were trapped was part of this project.

Mind you, these dhams in the hills cannot be compared with the Tirupati dham where lakhs may visit routinely. These four religious venues are precariously situated at high altitude in a hill state where the Himalayas are fragile and vulnerable to mindless human or mechanical onslaught. Yet, the government is obsessed with the project.

ALSO READ: ‘Entire Uttarakhand is Sitting on a Powder Keg’

Clearly, they want to showcase Char Dham as the pinnacle of religious tourism. This is a misnomer, because, before this project, the whole country knew about Char Dham, and this yatra was always important for Hindu worshippers. But now, helicopters are flying to the religious sites at high altitude from early morning, till late night. How is this going to help?

Take for example, Badrinath where a reckless establishment is trying to make a replica of Ayodhya, with a grotesque concrete jungle in the lap of a pristine Himalaya! If we had learnt from the experience of Joshimath, we would have preferred to make more sustainable and eco-sensitive development models that would protect our forests and rivers. Nothing of that sort is happening.

The Char Dham project comprises a 900 km long, undulating distance in the mountains from Rishikesh till Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath. There are 52 projects contained within this huge project. Ideally, they should have done an environmental assessment of this ecologically vulnerable region. They chose to bypass all that. Lakhs of trees have cut brutally due to the project. They have dynamited and ravaged the hills. Dumping of concrete has added to the crisis.

The summer heat is now intense and scorching in the hills, similar to the concrete city of Delhi. This has led to a major crisis, including death of the tourists. Rishikesh is in the plains. With the building of the roads up in the hills, the tourists can reach the high altitude religious sites much faster than before. If they are using helicopters, they can reach much faster but without acclimatization. Kedarnath is situated at 10,000 ft, or more. The body temperature at Rishikesh is distinctly different then Kedarnath. Result of Heli lift: at least 100 people have died of heart attack this season.

Indeed, a serious tragedy is unfolding behind this fancy project of Char Dham Yatra Project. And this project has spelled nothing but brutal destruction of Himalayan ecology and its organic habitat.

(This is the first section of a two-part series on the Himalayan disaster in the making. To be continued…)

As told to Amit Sengupta

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What Took Modi To Moscow!

So, What Took Modi To Moscow!

By Mahendra Ved

On February 24, 2022, the day Russia invaded Ukraine, the then-Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan was in Moscow on a pre-planned visit. That was the beginning of the end of his being in power – at least he thinks so.

Neither India nor Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in the same league with Vladimir Putin and Russia. But India’s Western allies are livid about Modi’s visit, planned long ago and part of the annual India-Russia summit.

Modi was in Moscow on a day Russia bombarded a school in Ukraine killing children, a sore point with the West that, otherwise, is either unwilling, unable or both to restrain Israel from doing the same in Gaza, another conflict zone. But the two wrongs, whether accepted as such or not, do not make one right.

Western critics are asking why Modi chose to go to Moscow and hug Putin, so soon after the latter had embraced North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, another leader the West intensely dislikes. At home, the Modi-Putin hug is compared with IK Gujral doing the same to Saddam Husain amidst the 1990-91 Kuwait crisis.

The common point in all these visits, talks – and hugs – is that each leader was and is guarding respective national interests in hugely complicated times fraught with diplomatic risks. Countries spread across the globe want to survive and grow amidst the economic strains Ukraine has imposed.

Optics apart, Modi, leading the world’s largest democracy with a surging economy and rising diplomatic presence, will need to guard national interests with allies in both camps that are in confrontation and also assert India’s strategic autonomy. His Moscow visit underscores this in the purchase of defence systems and technology and of its rising energy needs at concessional rates from a Russia hit by Western sanctions.

Western analysts say the West, particularly the United States, grudgingly accepts this as part of the long-standing Indo-Russian ties that it would like to see curbed. However, it is keen to court India to sell more and to help confront China.

But India’s trade with Russia in arms or oil can only be at the expense of the Western allies. Their anger, ‘concerns’ as Washington described post the Moscow summit, can only be expected and would need to be deftly dealt with. This is easier said than done. India has experienced that both camps can tighten the screw and delay and dilute, if not deny, what is committed.

ALSO READ: A Weakened Russia, A Resurgent China

To be fair, itself energy-hit, the West feels double-crossed. India benefits from concessional Russian oil that it sells at a profit to the West. Now, India, like China, is accused of fueling the Russian war effort – by implication, of killing Ukrainian children. The sentiment is spread, subtly though, by the huge and effective propaganda machine that feeds much of the world.

Among those killed in Ukraine are 30 to 40 Indian soldiers besides an unknown number of mercenaries from many developing countries. A new development in Moscow was Putin assuring Modi that the survivors would be discharged and sent back. Needless to say, any conflict creates hell where the impoverished rush to survive – and to die.

Besides oil and weapons, details of the latter are never announced, and nuclear power generation is back on the Indo-Russian agenda. This is another point that the West frets over. Despite glitches at Kudankulam, the two are pushing further. India needs this only available option for its energy transition plans. To that extent, Russia also needs India.

For Russia, the meeting demonstrated that Moscow still has friends. For India, it marked a bold step forward on foreign and domestic goals.

As for trade, it stands at $65 billion with plans to hike it to 100 billion by 2030. It is skewed in Russia’s favour since it has become the largest energy supplier (at the expense of the US and its West Asian allies), the two sides have resolved to push it beyond the current USD four billion, to 10 billion. India has struggled on two counts. One is because it can look elsewhere for choice and market. And two, its corporations are reluctant to trade with Russia for fear of attracting sanctions.

Despite significant bilateral issues, the Modi visit took place under the Ukraine shadow. On one hand, the NATO powers met in Washington to firm their resolve to defeat Russia in Ukraine, for which the US has committed $98 billion. But on the other hand, there is a growing realization – call it “Ukraine fatigue” – that Russia can’t be evicted from Ukraine, nor can it be allowed to get away. Ironically, Moscow has held out and even grown stronger, while sanctions on it have jeopardized many economies that were struggling to recover from COVID-19.

Meeting Putin, Modi repeated what he had said before, this time at a televised joint media meet, that this is not “an era of war” and “solutions will not be found on the battlefield.” He went further to stress that “resolutions and peace talks don’t succeed amidst bombs, guns and bullets.” Said in Moscow, it was an admonition to Putin over the bombing of Ukrainian children but also a reminder to NATO that arming Ukraine to the teeth has not helped and may not in the future. If seen as even-handed, the rebuke could upset both camps. The ‘disappointment’ expressed by Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy was expected.

The ‘nationalist’ discourse at home, keenly noted by New Delhi’s diplomatic circuit, sees Modi as a potential mediator to resolve the Ukraine conflict. It argues, with an eye on the West, that India can emerge neutral – more than China which is part of, even dominating the Russian camp. Last year, China pulled off talks between Saudi Arabia and Iran, a traditional Western arena. But in Ukraine, it is seen as partisan.

Beijing must have watched the Modi-Putin summit but is yet to react officially. Indian media has gone silent on the mediation talk. But there is a school of thought that there may be a nod from Washington. The US is in turmoil and Donald Trump’s victory can be reckoned with. Trump and Modi are old mutual admirers.

Trump has promised the end of the Ukraine conflict and could tighten the screws on NATO. Whatever the US says of Putin, Modi or Xi, the next five months are an open field in the US.

Pankaj Saran, a former Indian envoy to Russia and now the deputy security adviser, says Modi’s commitment to independent foreign policy could prove valuable to the West. “There is also an element here of trying to engage the Russians and Putin into some kind of a dialogue, in the hope that this dialogue can contribute towards” diplomacy with the West and peace in Ukraine, he has been quoted as saying.

Modi may or may not be called upon to mediate and if called, succeed. India will be under tremendous pressure from both sides. At home, he has ‘done’ Nehru by winning the third consecutive term in office. Now, he wants to be seen as a world statesman, bigger than all the Nehru-Gandhis put together. 

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Mumbai IMD Rain

IMD Issues Orange Alert As Heavy Rains Lash Mumbai

By LokMarg

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted heavy to very heavy rains in isolated areas of Mumbai on Saturday, putting the city under an orange alert.

An orange alert has also been issued for Thane, Palghar, Raigad, Ratnagiri, and Sindhudurg districts in Maharashtra’s Konkan region.

Rain lashed parts of Mumbai this morning, causing waterlogging and traffic snarls in several areas of the city.

Mumbai has been experiencing heavy rains for the last couple of days.

According to the IMD, the city has received 61.69 mm of rain in the last 24 hours.

The authorities issued a ‘high tide’ warning of 3.87 meters in Mumbai at 4:06 pm today.

According to the IMD, the maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to settle around 29 and 24 degrees Celsius, respectively.

Meanwhile, rain lashed parts of Delhi on Saturday morning, causing waterlogging and traffic snarls. However, the rain brought some respite from the July heat.

Neighboring Noida also witnessed rain in the morning. Visuals from the Barapullah flyover in Delhi showed vehicles moving slowly through the waterlogged road.

Visuals from Janpath, Delhi, showed light rain. According to the IMD, the national capital is likely to have isolated rainfall throughout the day on Saturday. The IMD stated that Delhi and Noida are expected to witness cloudy skies and light thunderstorms on Saturday and Sunday.

The IMD predicted that light rain would continue in Delhi and Noida till July 17. Due to the rain, the water levels in the Yamuna River are expected to rise in the coming days, prompting the authorities to issue an alert to the residents of villages in Noida situated along the banks of the river. These villages experienced severe flooding during last year’s monsoon season, causing significant inconvenience to residents of both Delhi and Noida. (ANI)

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India Has Been Very Successful In Space Sector In Last 20 Yrs: Ex NASA Astronaut

By LokMarg

Heaping praise on India over its achievements in the space sector, Steve Lee Smith, former NASA astronaut, said that in the history of the world, India just did something no one has ever done.

Smith told ANI, “India has been very successful in space (sector) in the last 20 years, very well respected around the world. Mission Over Mars to circle Mars, it was the first time a country had ever done that. India landed on the moon last year. In the world history, they just did something no one has ever done.”

“And just months later, India is preparing its own capsule to send humans to space and they have name their astronauts also. Hopefully, Indian Astronauts on an India’s spaceship will go into space,” he expressed his desire.

Meanwhile, NASA will have a hand in training two Indian astronauts, one of whom will fly to the International Space Station (ISS) late this year. ISRO chairman S Somanath had earlier said that ISRO will likely select four astronauts for training.

Notably, India’s planned space station is called the Bharatiya Antariksha Station. It will be built by India and operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The station is expected to be completed by 2035. NASA plans to decommission the ISS by 2031.

The Indian space station will be smaller than the International Space Station (ISS). It will have a mass of 20 tonnes (ISS – 450 tonnes and Chinese Tiangong Space Station – 100 tonnes) and will be used for microgravity experiments. It will orbit Earth at an altitude of around 400km.

Notably, India’s first solar mission Aditya-L1 spacecraft completed its first halo orbit around the Sun-Earth L1 point on July 3, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said in a statement.

The Aditya-L1 mission is an Indian solar observatory at Lagrangian point L1, launched on September 2 last year and was inserted in its targeted halo orbit on January 6.

Aditya-L1 spacecraft in the Halo orbit takes 178 days to complete a revolution around the L1 point. (ANI)

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Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant Amul

Anant-Radhika Wedding: Amul India Joins Celebrations With Delightful Post

By LokMarg

The wedding of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant has not only captivated hearts worldwide but has also inspired a heartwarming tribute from Amul India, reflecting the joyous occasion with their trademark charm.

In a post shared across social media platforms, Amul India celebrated the union of the newlyweds with a delightful cartoon depicting Anant and Radhika enjoying slices of bread topped with Amul butter.

Aptly named the ‘Ambyaahni wedding,’ the tribute conveyed heartfelt wishes for their happiness with the message “Jug Jug Jio.”

The post quickly became a viral sensation, resonating with netizens who joined in congratulating the couple on their new journey together.

Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant’s wedding festivities have been nothing short of spectacular, drawing attention globally with a series of lavish events and star-studded guest lists.

Radhika Merchant, adorned in exquisite ensembles throughout the celebrations, continued to dazzle at every turn.

For her vidai ceremony, following her marriage in a traditional ivory and red lehenga by Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla, Radhika opted for a stunning sindoori red ensemble crafted by Manish Malhotra.

Styled by Rhea Kapoor, her couture lehenga featured intricate gold Karchobi work and Banarasi brocade prints, paying homage to Gujarat’s rich textile heritage.

The ensemble was complemented by heirloom jewellery embellished with gold, diamonds, and emeralds, adding a regal touch to her appearance.

Radhika’s impeccable attire and accessories, meticulously curated by experts, contributed to the grandeur of the event, leaving a lasting impression on all attendees.

The wedding, held at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai, attracted an array of global celebrities and Bollywood luminaries, including Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Nick Jonas, John Cena, FIFA President Gianni Infantino, and many more distinguished personalities.

The celebrations are set to continue with ‘Shubh Aashirwad’ on July 13, followed by the grand ‘Mangal Utsav’ wedding reception on July 14. (ANI)

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umbrella act combining all water-related laws Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu

Himachal By-Election Results: Victory Of People Over Money Power, Says Sukhu

By LokMarg

Following the victory of Congress candidates in two out of three assembly constituencies in the recent by-elections in the state, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said it was a victory of the people over money power.

“This is a victory for voters of the state and the dedicated efforts of Congress party workers,” CM Sukhu told a large gathering of Congress supporters at his official residence, Oak Over.

“This is the victory of people over money power. The voters have delivered a strong rebuke to the politics of horse-trading and have voted to maintain political integrity in the state. It had been 25 years since a Congress candidate won in Dehra. In Nalagarh, too, the candidate secured a significant victory. The election outcome has sent a clear message to the entire country and in the future, no candidate of any party in Himachal Pradesh will dare engage him or her in horse-trading for the next 50 years,” said the Chief Minister.

He said that attempts to destabilise the government since February 28, 2024, have been successfully thwarted and the conspiracies aimed at toppling the democratically elected government have failed. With this victory, the number of Congress party MLAs in the assembly has risen to 40 again.

He criticised the leader of the opposition, Jai Ram Thakur for his repeated claims of forming a BJP government in the state and the centre before Lok Sabha elections, terming the BJP’s “Operation Lotus” a big failure. He said that despite the clear mandate of the public, Jai Ram Thakur continued misleading the people of the state by making false and exaggerated claims.

The Chief Minister also condemned the deeds of three independent MLAs and said these three have imposed the bye-election on the people by conspiring to overthrow the government. “Rather than supporting the opposition in the assembly, these MLAs left the state for a month and staged a protest to have their resignations accepted outside the Vidhan Sabha. The public has given a befitting reply to their obstinacy through the election results, which is also a good lesson for all those who were trying to destabilise the Congress government in the state,” he said.

He said that in the bye-polls held in 13 ACs all over the country, the BJP has only managed two seats out of 13 and that too with a thin margin, which clearly indicates that the people across the country have rejected the autocracy of the BJP leaders, its ideology and its policies of being in power by befooling people. (ANI)

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Cong's Kamlesh Thakur AAP's Mohinder Bhagat Win INDIA bloc

Cong’s Kamlesh Thakur, AAP’s Mohinder Bhagat Win In Big victory for INDIA bloc

By LokMarg

Congress candidate and Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s wife, Kamlesh Thakur, has won the assembly by-election from the Dehra constituency by defeating Hoshyar Singh of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Kamlesh Thakur was leading by over 9,000 votes against Hoshyar Singh in the final round of counting on Saturday.

After winning the Dehra assembly by-polls, Kamlesh Thakur, said, “The party leaders and workers worked day and night for this day. I will give all credit to the people who stood by the party throughout. I am proud of the people of Dehra.”

Chief Minister Sukhu spoke to ANI on Congress leading on two out of three assembly seats in Himachal Pradesh and said, “People of Himachal gave us 40 seats in 2022. People have given a befitting reply to the kind of poaching that happened in state politics in the past.”

“This also gave the message that the people of the state are aware and awake and that such poaching will not work. Three independent MLAs had no reason to resign. They could have simply allied with the BJP, but even they learned their lesson,” he said.

Adding further, Sukhu said, “I had put in everything for the Dehra constituency. I want to congratulate Kamlesh Thakur for winning the seat. The reason for fielding my wife from Dehra was to make Congress enter Kangra and increase the MLAs in the valley from 9 to 10. All three seats are strongholds of BJP and we have won two of them. This is a big deal.”

Congress workers and supporters celebrated in Dhaliara in Kangra district as the party’s candidate won the Dehra Assembly seat.

Congress candidate Hardeep Singh Bawa is leading the Nalagarh assembly constituency in Himachal Pradesh by 6,870 votes against the BJP’s KL Thakur in the penultimate round of counting. The only silver lining for the BJP in the assembly by-elections is in Hamirpur, where its candidate Ashish Sharma was leading by a slender margin of 1,571 votes in the final round of counting.

The seats fell vacant after the three independent legislators, Hoshiyar Singh (Dehra), Ashish Sharma (Hamirpur) and K L Thakur (Nalagarh), who had voted in favour of the BJP in the Rajya Sabha polls held on February 27, resigned from the state assembly on March 22 and joined the party the next day.

Meanwhile, in Punjab, the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) Mohinder Bhagat won the Jalandhar assembly seat by 37,325 votes. The TMC is ahead in all four West Bengal seats, with Raiganj candidate Krishna Kalyani taking a significant lead of more than 50,000 votes.

The counting of votes for the 13 legislative assembly seats spread across seven states began on Saturday morning. Polling took place on July 10 for the assembly seats. (ANI)

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Kim Kardashian Nita

Nita Welcomes Kim Kardashian With Heartwarming Gesture

By LokMarg

The wedding of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai became a convergence of Indian traditions and global celebrity status as Nita Ambani warmly welcomed Kim Kardashian to the extravagant celebration.

In a touching moment that underscored the fusion of international star power with Indian hospitality, Nita Ambani was photographed walking hand-in-hand with Kim Kardashian and renowned jewellery designer Lorraine Schwartz as she welcomed them to the ‘Lagna Vidhi’ ceremony of Radhika and Anant.

The trio’s presence added an extra layer of glamour and excitement to the already star-studded affair.

Kim Kardashian, stunning in a red saree, expressed her delight about attending the event through her Instagram stories, sharing glimpses of her Mumbai experience.

She revealed their filming for ‘The Kardashians’ in Mumbai, offering fans an exclusive look at their perspective on India.

The Kardashian sisters’ stay at the iconic Taj Colaba and their adventurous auto-rickshaw ride around the city further highlighted their enthusiasm for Indian culture.

Earlier in the day, Kim and Khloe Kardashian embraced a quintessential Mumbai experience with an auto-rickshaw ride, capturing their spontaneous exploration of the city’s vibrant streets on social media.

Their enthusiastic participation in local traditions resonated with followers worldwide, amplifying the wedding’s international allure.

The Ambani-Merchant wedding, renowned for its opulence and guest list featuring global celebrities, saw the presence of stars like Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Nick Jonas, John Cena, FIFA President Gianni Infantino, and numerous Bollywood personalities.

Newlywed Radhika Merchant dazzled throughout the festivities with her impeccable style and grace.

For her vidai ceremony, following her marriage in a traditional ivory and red lehenga by Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla, Radhika chose a striking sindoori red ensemble crafted by Manish Malhotra.

Styled by Rhea Kapoor, her bespoke couture lehenga featured intricate gold Karchobi work and Banarasi brocade prints, paying homage to Gujarat’s rich textile heritage.

Accompanied by heirloom jewellery adorned with gold, diamonds, and emeralds, Radhika’s appearance epitomized elegance and cultural richness.

Her attire and accessories, meticulously curated by experts, added to the splendour of the event, captivating all in attendance.

The celebrations will continue with ‘Shubh Aashirwad’ on July 13 and the grand ‘Mangal Utsav’ wedding reception on July 14. (ANI)

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