Month: July 2024

National Democratic Alliance leaders felicitated Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his historic third term at the parliamentary party meeting of BJP alliance government on Tuesday.

A day after the Lok Sabha witnessed a massive uproar in the House, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged all the party MPs to follow the rules of the Parliament, the Parliamentary democracy system and raise their issues effectively, Union minister Kiren Rijiju said.

Rijiju was addressing reporters after the NDA parliamentary meeting concluded this morning.

The Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs said that PM Modi stated that every MP coming to Parliament should prioritise “service to the country” and develop expertise on issues of their interest.

“Today, the PM gave us a very important mantra. He said that every MP has been elected to the House to serve the nation. Irrespective of the party they belong to, service to the nation is our first responsibility. Every NDA MP has to work by prioritising the country, this is what the PM urged. Secondly, the PM guided us well regarding the conduct of MPs,” Rijiju said.

The meeting marked PM Modi’s first address to the MPs of the ruling bloc in his third term.

The Union Minister said that the Prime Minister has asked the MPs to develop expertise in some of the major issues of interest and represent those issues in the House.

“He said that every MP should present the matters of their constituency in the House very well as per the rules. He also told us to develop expertise in other major issues of interest – be it water, environment, or social area. So, PM told us to develop expertise in those areas. PM urged NDA MPs to follow the rules of the Parliament, the Parliamentary democracy system and conduct which is essential to becoming a good MP,” Rijiju said.

“I think this guidance by the PM is a good mantra for all MPs, especially the first-time MPs…We have decided to follow this mantra,” the Union Minister said.

Rijiju said that PM Modi has also requested all the MPs to visit the Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya (Prime Minister’s Museum) in the national capital with their family members.

“The Prime Minister has also made one request. Every MP, along with their family, should visit Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya. At Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya, the journey from Pt Jawaharlal Nehru to PM Narendra Modi has been displayed beautifully. There is no political agenda…This is the first such effort that the entire country should get to know of the contribution of each PM, appreciate it, learn from it and pay tribute to them,” he said.

“…I believe that when the PM of the country speaks, everyone – not just MPs – should take it seriously because he is the Prime Minister of the country. Great people of the country have made PM Modi, the Prime Minister for the third consecutive term historically…”

Rijiju further said, “The manner in which LoP Rahul Gandhi behaved yesterday, turned his back towards the Speaker, spoke out of rules and insulted the Speaker is something that people of our party, the NDA should not do…”

Meanwhile, later today, Prime Minister Modi is expected to address the Lok Sabha later today.

A massive uproar erupted in the Lok Sabha yesterday over Rahul Gandhi’s remarks. BJP has accused the Raebareli MP of “insulting” the Hindu community.

Prime Minister Modi hit out at Rahul Gandhi over his remarks and said calling “the entire Hindu community violent is a very serious matter.” Home Minister Amit Shah said that the Congress leader should apologise for his remarks.

Participating in the debate on the motion of thanks on the President’s Address, Rahul Gandhi targeted the BJP-led government and alleged there has been “a systematic attack” on the idea of India.

While the BJP held a press conference later to denounce Rahul Gandhi’s remarks, Congress also held an evening presser to slam the ruling party at the Centre.

Rahul Gandhi launched a multi-pronged attack on the BJP targeting it over its remarks during the Lok Sabha campaign, the NEET-UG controversy, Agniveer scheme. (ANI)

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Shatrughan Sinha’s son Luv Sinha on Monday shared a health update of the veteran actor-turned-politician after reports of his hospitalisation surfaced online.

In a post on X, Luv thanked well-wishers for their concern and also informed that the ‘Dostana’ star was admitted to the hospital as he developed a ‘strong fever’.

“In regard to my father’s health I’d like to clarify that there was no surgical procedure, and one shouldn’t believe unverified news. We took my father to the hospital for his annual checkup, and because he had a strong fever. Thank you to everyone who has been concerned,” Luv wrote.

The news of Shatrughan Sinha’s hospitalisation comes a few days after he celebrated his daughter Sonakshi Sinha’s wedding with actor Zaheer Iqbal.

On June 26, Shatrughan Sinha shared a couple of pictures and videos on X from Sonakshi’s wedding festivities.

Sharing the pictures and videos, he wrote on X, “With an attitude of gratitude we would like to thank everyone for celebrating with us on our special day seems to be the ‘wedding of the century’ with your warmth, love, congratulatory messages for our darling daughter #SonakshiSinha with #ZaheerIqbal as they start a new chapter in their beautiful journey of their lives.”

The wedding of Sonakshi and Zaheer was held on June 23. (ANI)

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Dotted with heritage sites and scenic locales the South Asian country of Laos has ambitious plans and strategic initiatives to attract more tourists, particularly from India.

Director-General of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture, Laos, Khom DouangChanta on Monday unveiled ambitious plans for 2024, highlighting diverse tourism offerings and strategic initiatives for visitors to the southeast Asian country.

“This year, we have planned 77 tourism activities from January to December, aiming to showcase the cultural and natural treasures of our capital and 17 provinces,” DouangChanta told reporters, emphasising Laos’ efforts to bolster its appeal as a tourist destination.

Acknowledging India’s significant presence in the global tourism market, DouangChanta noted, “India is a key market, not just globally but also within ASEAN. In 2023, we welcomed nearly 14,000 Indian visitors, and in the first quarter of 2024 alone, more than 4,000 Indians visited Laos.”

DouangChanta underscored the importance of bilateral cooperation between Laos and India in tourism promotion. “Our Ministry of Tourism is actively collaborating with India’s Ministry of Tourism. Together, we participate in forums like the ASEAN Tourism Forum to enhance tourism opportunities,” he explained.

Highlighting their proactive approach, DouangChanta mentioned, “We have invited Indian media to experience Laos’ tourism attractions firsthand. Their positive coverage will help increase awareness and attract more Indian tourists to Laos.”

When asked about air connectivity challenges affecting travel between Laos and India, DouangChanta expressed optimism about future developments. “Effective air connectivity is crucial for tourism. Discussions between Laotian and Indian airlines have been ongoing. We are encouraging closer collaboration to improve connectivity and facilitate travel between our countries,” he elaborated.

Looking ahead, DouangChanta expressed hopes for strengthened airline partnerships. “Our goal is to establish robust connections that will facilitate easier travel for Indian visitors to Laos and vice versa. This will significantly boost tourism exchanges between our nations,” he said.

Laos remains landlocked with China as its northern neighbour, and Vietnam lies to the country’s northeast and east. South of Laos is Cambodia while Thailand is on its west and Myanmar lies on its northwest. (ANI))

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Launching a scathing attack on the Centre, Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh on Monday said that the alleged liquor scam involved BJP members who took a bribe of Rs 60 crore from Sarath Reddy through electoral bonds.

In his speech in the upper house, Singh said, “It has been said that India is the world’s largest democracy and the elections here were conducted very smoothly, but this election witnessed many events. In this election, we saw how opposition leaders were put in jail. Misusing the ED and other investigation agencies, the chief minister of different states was imprisoned.”

“Our Chief Minister of Delhi was forcibly put in jail before the elections. Kejriwal is a CM who has worked in sectors like education, health, electricity, and water. He has provided free bus travel for women. The so-called liquor scam was made an issue. This liquor scam involved BJP members who took a bribe of Rs 60 crore from Sarath Reddy through electoral bonds,” the AAP leader added.

Further, Sanjay Singh alleged that the opposition leaders in states were put in jail through the misuse of investigation agencies.

“In Maharashtra, Anil Deshmukh had to stay in jail for 14 months, and later the court said there was no evidence, so he got bail. Sanjay Raut was kept in jail for 103 days, no evidence was found, and he got bail. I was kept in jail for 6 months, and the Supreme Court granted me bail. Three ministers from Bengal are in jail. Recently, the Chief Minister of Jharkhand got bail. In Bihar and Maharashtra, investigation agencies are being misused,” he said.

The AAP leader also mentioned that in the election, the Prime Minister of the country never talked about major issues, but used words like “Mujra”.

“In this election, we observed the level of language used, where the Prime Minister did not speak about inflation or unemployment. Regrettably, we have to say that the Prime Minister talks about Mughals and mutton, and it went too far when he used words like ‘mujra’,” Singh said.

In the Lok Sabha elections, PM Modi attacked the INDIA bloc in Bihar over the reservations issue and accused it of doing “slavery” and “mujra” for the Muslim vote bank.

Sanjay Singh further added that the BJP should review its performance in the recently concluded Lok Sabha election, where the party fell short of its claim.

“This election has given you results to think about. You claimed to win over 400 seats, but you got 240 seats. Where is the clear majority in this? You fell short by 160 seats from your claim. You need to think and review your shortcomings. Your shortcoming is your arrogance,” he added. (ANI)

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Actor Sonakshi Sinha’s latest Instagram post is loaded with love.

She dropped a video featuring her husband and actor Zaheer Iqbal.

In the video, Zaheer can be seen carrying Sonakshi’s heels in his hand.

“When you marry the greenest flag ever,” she captioned the post, leaving fans in awe.

Sonakshi and Zaheer got married on June 23 in the presence of their loved ones at their residence in Mumbai. It was an intimate wedding.

The civil wedding was followed by a wedding bash at Bastian which saw numerous Bollywood celebrities in attendance.

The reception was attended by a constellation of Bollywood stars, including Salman Khan, Vidya Balan with Siddharth Roy Kapur, and veteran actress Saira Banu, among others, who came to congratulate the couple and celebrate their union. Sonakshi and Zaheer, who have been together for seven years, sealed their love in an intimate ceremony attended by close family and friends.

The couple recently shared glimpses of their wedding on social media, marking June 23 as a day etched in their hearts forever.

Sonakshi expressed her joy in a heartfelt Instagram post, reflecting on their journey of love and togetherness.”On this very day, seven years back (23.06.2017) in each other’s eyes, we saw love in its purest form and decided to hold on to it. Today that love has guided us through all the challenges and triumphs… leading up to this moment… where with the blessings of both our families and both our gods… we are now man and wife. Here’s to love, hope and all things beautiful with each other, from now until forever. Sonakshi Zaheer23.06.2024,” Sonakshi wrote announcing her marriage to Zaheer.

Sonakshi and Zaheer dated for seven years before solemnising their relationship. (ANI)

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Anant Ambani, who is all set to tie the knot with Radhika Merchant, visited the Krishna Kali temple in Neral, Maharashtra to seek divine blessings.

The youngest son of Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani visited the temple on Sunday to seek divine blessings and invite them to the wedding.

He also performed a ‘havan’ in the temple.

After offering prayers, Anant told the media, “Mein shadi se pehle nimantran dene aaya hu aur mata ji ka, bhagwan ka aashirwad lene aaya hu (I have come here to invite the Gods and seek their blessings.)”

Recently, Reliance Foundation Founder and Chairperson, Nita Ambani visited Kashi Vishwanath Temple to seek blessings and offered the first wedding invitation to Lord Shiva.

Mumbai is abuzz with excitement as Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant are all set to tie the knot.

The Ambanis are planning to host another round of grand pre-wedding festivities.

As part of the pre-wedding celebrations of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant, Mukesh and Nita Ambani are set to organise a mass wedding for the underprivileged on July 2 at Swami Vivekanand Vidyamandir in Palghar.

Recently, the wedding invitation went viral offering a glimpse into the preparations for the high-profile event.

The wedding festivities are meticulously planned, adhering to traditional Hindu Vedic customs. The main ceremonies will commence on Friday, July 12, with the auspicious Shubh Vivah, or wedding function and according to sources, guests are encouraged to embrace the spirit of the occasion by dressing in traditional Indian attire.

The celebrations will continue on Saturday, July 13, with Shubh Aashirwad. The final event, Mangal Utsav or the wedding reception, is scheduled for Sunday, July 14.

For this grand occasion, guests have been asked to dress in ‘Indian chic.’ Radhika Merchant, daughter of Encore Healthcare CEO Viren Merchant and entrepreneur Shaila Merchant, is set to join the Ambani family, marking a union of two prominent industrialist families.

Earlier this year, the couple hosted a series of pre-wedding festivities in Jamnagar, which saw a star-studded guest list from around the globe.

Business leaders, heads of state, and Hollywood and Bollywood celebrities graced the occasion, making it an event to remember.

Among the distinguished guests were Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, and Ivanka Trump.

The highlight of the pre-wedding celebrations was an electrifying performance by pop sensation Rihanna, marking her debut performance in India.

The three-day extravaganza also featured the world-renowned illusionist David Blaine, who left guests spellbound with his incredible feats.

Bollywood stars and family members joined in the sangeet performances, with a special appearance by actor-singer Diljit Dosanjh, captivating the audience. (ANI)

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Recalling his interactions with students, Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi on Monday referred to the medical entrance exam as a “commercial exam” and said that students appearing for NEET alleged that the exam is designed for “rich students and not meritorious students.”

Participating in the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President for her address to a joint sitting of Parliament, Rahul Gandhi targeted the BJP-led government over the paper leak issue and said that there is fear among everyone in the nation.

“NEET students spend years and years preparing for their exams. Their family supports them financially, and emotionally and the truth is that NEET students today do not believe in the exam because they are convinced that the exam is designed for rich people, not meritorious people. I have met several NEET students. Every single one of them tells me that the exam is designed to create a quota for rich people and to create a passage for them into the system and is designed not to help poor students. The students prepare for months and months,” Rahul Gandhi said.

“There is fear among, youth, farmers, women and the disabled. In fact not in the whole country there is fear among their own (BJP) party. This is truth and that’s why you guys are not shouting now,” he said.

He further demanded a separate one-day discussion on the issue in the Parliament.

“We wanted a one day discussion on NEET. It is an important issue. More than two crore students have been affected. Paper leaks have happened on 70 occasions,” he said.

The NEET UG examination was conducted by the National Testing Agency on May 5 at 4,750 centres in 571 cities in the country and 14 cities abroad with 23 lakh candidates appearing for the examination.

The results were declared on June 4, which immediately caused a hue and cry with aspirants raising multiple issues. An unprecedented 67 candidates achieved a perfect score of 720 marks out of 720 led to widespread protests in the country.

The Supreme Court ruled that the “grace marks” awarded to some students should be scrapped and provided the affected candidates with the option to either take a re-test or retain their original scores, excluding the grace marks.

Meanwhile, amid opposition protests in the Lok Sabha, Speaker Om Birla dismissed the allegation of some MPs that the Speaker switched off the mic.

“Outside the House, some MPs level allegations that the Speaker switches off the mic. The control of the mic is not in the hands of the one who sits on the Chair,” he said. (ANI)

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Lok Sabha on Monday saw an uproar over Rahul Gandhi’s remarks pertaining to Hindu community with Home Minister Amit Shah saying that the Congress leader should apologise over his remarks.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi hit out at Rahul Gandhi over his remarks and said calling “the entire Hindu community violent is a very serious matter”.

Participating in the debate on the motion of thanks on the President’s Address, Rahul Gandhi targeted the BJP-led government and alleged there has been “a systematic attack” on the idea of India.

“There has been a systematic and a full-scale assault on the idea of India, the Constitution and on the people who resisted the attack on the Constitution. Many of us were personally attacked. Some of the leaders are still in jail. Anyone who resisted the idea of concentration of power and wealth, aggression on poor and Dalits and minorities was crushed. ..I was attacked by the order of Government of India, by the order of the Prime Minister of India…The most enjoyable part of it was the 55 hours of interrogation by ED…,” he alleged.

“Abhayamudra is the symbol of Congress…The Abhayamudra is the gesture of fearlessness, is the gesture of reassurance and safety, which dispels fear and accords divine protection and bliss in Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, Buddhism and other Indian religions….All our great men have spoken about non-violence and finishing fear…But, those who call themselves Hindu only talk about violence, hatred, untruth…Aap Hindu ho hi nahi,” the Congress leader said.

BJP members took strong objection to Rahul Gandhi’s remarks.

Home Minister Amit Shah targeted Rahul Gandhi and said connecting violence with any religion is wrong.

“The Leader of Opposition has categorically said that those who call themselves Hindu talk of violence and do violence. He doesn’t know that crores of people proudly call themselves Hindu. Connecting violence with any religion is wrong. He should apologise,” Amit Shah said.

Rahul Gandhi also said the BJP is not the entire Hindu society.

“Narendra Modi is not entire Hindu society. BJP is not the entire Hindu society, RSS is not the entire society, this is not BJP’s contract,” Rahul Gandhi said.

Rahul Gandhi also alleged that ministers were scared of greeting him in the presence of PM Modi.

The Prime Minister took a dig at Rahul Gandhi over his remarks and said democracy has taught him to take democracy seriously.

“Democracy and the Constitution have taught me that I need to take the Leader of Opposition seriously,” PM Modi said.

Rahul Gandhi, who made his first speech as Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, also attacked the government over the Agniveer scheme. (ANI)

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After Union Home Minister Amit Shah criticised the opposition parties for opposing the new criminal laws, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said that no law is bad, but the problem lies with how the laws are implemented.

Abdullah also alleged that the laws are first used against the people of Jammu and Kashmir and then they have an effect on other ‘mulkon’ (States).

“No law is bad; the problem lies with how the laws are implemented. The previous laws did not have the scope of being misused as much as the new ones. We wanted a new government to be formed after these elections so that these laws could be deliberated upon. We hope that the NDA members think about these laws and that discussions are held on them,” he said.

“All the laws are first used against the people of J-K, and then they have their effect on other ‘mulkon’. After the Assembly elections are held in J-K, there will be a new government, a people’s government in the state. Then we will see where these new laws are used in J-K,” Abdullah added.

Earlier today, Amit Shah criticised the opposition parties for opposing the new criminal laws and said that there are several occasions to do politics but the new acts should be supported.

The new criminal laws Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, and Bharatiya Sakshya Sanhita came into effect from July 1 midnight.

On the Opposition’s criticism that no discussions were held before implementation, Shah said, “For these new laws, a few friends in the Opposition are saying different things before the media. I would like to tell you all that 9.29 hours of discussions were held in Lok Sabha and 34 members participated in that. In Rajya Sabha, over 6 hours of discussions were held. 40 members participated in the discussions.”

Shah said that discussions on these laws were held for over four years. “It would be one of the laws on which such a long discussion was held before it was taken into Parliament,” he added.

The three new laws received Parliament’s nod on December 21, 2023. President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent on December 25, 2023, and was published in the official gazette on the same day. (ANI)

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Two women lost their lives while 13 people were injured after an overhead tank collapsed in Uttar Pradesh’s Mathura on Sunday, said a top police official.

The injured have been admitted to hospital and their treatment is underway. Out of 13 injured, one of them is in critical condition.

As per the information, several houses, situated near the water tanker were affected in the incident as debris and leaked water from the tank entered many houses, resulting in damage to electrical equipment while various cars parked on the road were also damaged.

The incident took place in Krishna Vihar area of Awas Vikas Colony of Kotwali police station in Mathura.

However, immediately after the incident, administrative officials reached the spot and started relief and rescue work. The police force, NDRF, SDRF, and other emergency services are deployed on the spot and are constantly monitoring the rescue operation.

Considering the seriousness of the issue, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took cognizance of the matter and gave instructions to register an FIR against the guilty contractor in the case.

The Inspector General (IG) of Agra Range, Deepak Kumar reached Mathura and spoke to the media, where he said, “A rescue operation is underway. Two people have died in the incident. An FIR is being registered against the accused contractor and instructions have been given for better treatment of the injured.”

As soon as the incident was reported, Mathura SSP Shailesh Pandey and DM Shailendra Singh inspected the accident site.

Addressing the media, SSP Shailesh Pandey and DM Shailendra Singh said, “After inspecting the spot our priority right now is to get the injured treated. The culprits of this incident will also not be spared. The whole matter will be investigated and whoever is found guilty; strict action will be taken against them. 13 injured in the accident have been admitted to the hospital for treatment. The condition of one of them remains critical. Many houses and vehicles came in the grip of the incident and major damage was done to the area.”

DM and SSP also visited the district hospital to check the condition of the injured.

Meanwhile, speaking with media persons, the Assistant Commandant of NDRF said that the rescue operation will be completed only by Monday evening, as, after the incident, the nearby houses are shaking, and to avoid any further accidents the rescue operation will be underway till Monday evening. At present, there is no possibility of anyone being buried under the debris, which is a matter of relief.

The MLA of Mathura, Shrikant Sharma also inspected the accident site and visited the hospital to check the condition of the injured. He further gave information that an FIR would be lodged in the case. Sharma also stated that the City Magistrate will investigate the accident.

After the incident, the opposition parties Congress and Samajwadi Party raised the demand for an investigation of the tragic accident.

Samajwadi Party demanded one crore rupees each for the deceased family and 25 lakh rupees for the injured while the Congress demanded to register an FIR against the culprits for the incident and give compensation.

Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party leader Sanjay Singh blamed the BJP government for the incident and alleged that the incident was a result of “corruption”. He demanded compensation of Rs 1 crore for the deceased and Rs 50 lakhs for the injured.

Taking it to a social media post on X, he wrote in Hindi, “There are reports of 2 people dying and hundreds getting injured due to the collapse of a water tank built just 3 years ago in Mathura. A woman and an innocent girl lost their lives due to the corruption of the BJP government. The families of the deceased girl and woman should be given Rs 1 crore and the injured should be given Rs 50 lakh as compensation and the government should conduct a high-level investigation into the corruption and take strict action.”

Earlier, on Sunday it was reported that several people were injured in a tragic incident where an overhead tank collapsed in Uttar Pradesh’s Mathura due to excessive rain.

The police said that as soon as they got the information of the incident, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) were called and began the rescue operation.

Mathura Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Kumar Pandey told ANI, “This incident occurred in the Krishna Vihar area where a 250kL tank collapsed due to excess rain. Rescue teams of the district reached the spot immediately and rescue operation began immediately. The District Magistrate and I immediately called the NDRF and SDRF teams as well. The injured have been shifted to the district hospital. We are still looking for people in the rubble to check for anyone trapped. No one is missing but we are still looking in case there are any other unknown persons.” (ANI)

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