Month: September 2024

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Sunday announced the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the allegations about the adulteration of Tirupati Prasadam (laddus).

“We are forming a Special Investigation Team (SIT) comprising officers of IGP and above posts. The SIT will submit a report to the government and we will take action based on that report so that such things are not repeated,” Naidu said.

Andhra Pradesh CM Naidu further stated, ” I am taking three angles, first, purification, according to traditions. I am ordering an inquiry at the IGP level. Only those who have beliefs will be there in the management committee. Finally, we will prepare standard operating procedures for all the temples.”

Responding to Jagan Mohan Reddy’s claim that Naidu was playing diversion tactics to cover failed promises, Naidu said, “What nonsense he (Jagan Mohan Reddy) is talking. Not even 100 days we have in government. You tell the policies, criticise my policy, and I’ll answer what you have done, what I have done. But, you wanted to divert, but if you do so, more and more sentiments will hurt.”

Earlier today, Congress leader Pawan Khera also called for a fast-track inquiry into the alleged use of ‘animal fat’ prasadam for Sri Venkateshwara Swamy Temple in Tirupati.

“It is very surprising that the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Executive Officer, appointed by Chandrababu Naidu’s government, contradicts the claims of adulteration in the prasadam. This kind of atmosphere is bad for the faith of crores of devotees. A fast-track inquiry should take place and the strictest punishment to the guilty must be meted out,” Khera told ANI.

Earlier, Advocate K Karuna Sagar alleged that the previous YSRCP government used ‘animal fat’ in the Laddu Prasadam offered at Tirumala Temple in Tirupati, calling it an attack on Hindu sentiments and a “conspiracy.”

Advocate Karuna Sagar expressed his shock, stating, “The Laddu Prasadam offered at Tirupati is world-famous for its divinity, sanctity, and quality. I was shocked and surprised after seeing the lab reports confirming that the low-quality ghee used in making the Laddu Prasadam contained beef, pork, and fish oil. This is an attack on Hindu sentiments… This is a conspiracy.”

On September 19, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu stirred a political controversy after he claimed that the ghee used in the preparation of Tirupati laddoo prasadam, offered at Sri Venkateswara Swami Temple in Tirupati, contained animal fat during the previous YSRCP government.

Sri Venkateswara Swami Temple is a Hindu temple situated in the Tirumala hills of Andhra Pradesh’s Tirupati district. (ANI)

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The Punjab cabinet will have five new ministers, while four ministers are likely to be dropped by the Aam Aadmi Party in the cabinet reshuffle scheduled for Monday evening, the Punjab government sources said.

Ministers Balkaur Singh, Chetan Singh Jouramajra, Brahm Shankar Jimpa, and Anmol Gagan Maan are expected to be removed, the sources added.

Hardeep Singh Mundian, Tarunpreet S Sondh, Ravjot, Barinder Goyal, and Mohinder Bhagat are among five new people to be inducted in the cabinet.

According to the Punjab government sources, the oath ceremony will take place tomorrow at 5 PM in Raj Bhavan.

In Punjab Assembly Elections 2022, the AAP recorded a landslide victory, winning 92 seats, sidelining most of its rivals.

Earlier on September 12, in a major reshuffle the Punjab government transferred 38 Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers and one Punjab Civil Services (PCS) officer.

On September 7, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann also assured the youth of job security and criticised the previous government for not being considerate towards the youth of the state while speaking at an appointment letter distribution ceremony in Chandigarh.

According to the government, a total of 293 appointment letters were made during the ceremony. Out of which 263 of them were under the health department, 9 were under technical education, and the other 21 letters were under the water supply department. (ANI)

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A historic event is unfolding at the Nassau Coliseum in Long Island, New York, as 15,000 members of the Indian diaspora gather from 42 different states to welcome Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

PM Modi is set to address the “Modi and US” program around noon local time in New York.

While speaking to ANI, a member of the event organising committee, Jagdish Sewhani, said, “It is a historical event in Nassau Coliseum, Long Island, New York. It looks like we are celebrating Diwali here… 15,000 Indian diaspora have come here in New York from 42 different states.

“More than 500 artists are going to perform, and we all are awaiting PM Modi. It is the first time ever, that an Indian PM is coming to Long Island in 75 years. The mayor of Nassau County is so excited that he said that he is going to welcome the most popular leader, not only in India but in the world,” he added.

Preparations are in the final stage at the venue where PM Modi will address the Indian diaspora as the Modi-US event to commence around noon.

Indian chef and restaurateur, Vikas Khanna said, “When a leader of your country comes, it’s our job, our duty to honour and respect him. It is important as the leaders don’t represent a party, but the country. They represent our family, our heritage our ancestors. Anyone residing outside the country represents one’s culture. When Donald Trump visited India, I received a letter from PMO, I was invited there along with AR Rahman. What can be a b better honour to a chef than this? This is how you elevate a profession when you see that at one side there is an Oscar winner and at the other side, you have a chef standing there to welcome the American President…We are differently built people, our DNA is different, and we have so much respect towards our motherland. The PM is the elder of our family, he represents us, in totality.”

Artists from different groups are preparing to showcase traditional music for the big show once the PM’s arrival.

Artists will perform ‘Yakshagana’, a form of traditional folk dance popular in the coastal districts of Karnataka and parts of Kerala, at the venue.

Members of the Indian diaspora belonging to Tamil Nadu will play the traditional musical instrument ‘Parai’ at the event ahead of PM Modi’s address to the diaspora.

Ahead of the event, a member of the Indian diaspora performing with the ‘Parai’ said, ” I am very happy to take part in this event. We are proud of the ‘Parai’ instrument and happy to perform here.”

A group was seen performing Mallakhamb – an acrobatic activity originated in Maharashtra, outside Nassau Coliseum in New York, Long Island.

Jaydev Anata of Mallakhamb Federation US, said, “We are promoting Mallakhamb in the USA as an acrobatic and gymnastic sport with an objective of getting it into the Olympics. We are using every opportunity to present this to the public…”

Earlier in a post on X, PM Modi shared pictures of his meeting with members of the Indian diaspora and wrote, “After programmes in Delaware, landed in New York. Eager to be among the diaspora at the community programme in the city and to take part in other programmes.”

PM Modi will chair key bilateral meetings in New York and attend a CEO Roundtable in addition to addressing the Summit of the Future on September 23. (ANI)

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Anura Kumara Dissanayaka, the 55-year-old leader of the leftist Janatha Vimukthi Peremuna party, has been declared the winner of the election, according to the Election Commission of Sri Lanka.

He will be the 9th Executive President of Sri Lanka, beating Sajith Premadasa after the country’s first ever Presidential Election run-off, reported Daily Mirror.

The election commission made the announcement after a second vote count, the first in the country’s history. Incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe came third and eliminated after the first round, reported Al Jazeera.

Saturday’s election marked the third time that Ranil Wickremesinghe – unsuccessfully – ran for president. His previous two bids for the top job were in 1999 and 2005.

The president-elect in a post on X called for the unity of Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims, and all Sri Lankans for a new beginning.

“The dream we have nurtured for centuries is finally coming true. This achievement is not the result of any single person’s work, but the collective effort of hundreds of thousands of you. Your commitment has brought us this far, and for that, I am deeply grateful. This victory belongs to all of us. Our journey here has been paved by the sacrifices of so many who gave their sweat, tears, and even their lives for this cause. Their sacrifices are not forgotten. We hold the scepter of their hopes and struggles, knowing the responsibility it carries. The millions of eyes filled with hope and expectation push us forward, and together, we stand ready to rewrite Sri Lankan history. This dream can only be realized with a fresh start. The unity of Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims, and all Sri Lankans is the bedrock of this new beginning. The New Renaissance we seek will rise from this shared strength and vision. Let us join hands and shape this future together!” said Dissanayaka.

The president-elect is expected to be sworn in on Monday, according to initial information.Rauff Hakeem, a parliamentarian with the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, has congratulated Dissanayake for his apparent election victory, calling it a “feat”.

“The people of Sri Lanka have expressed their sincere determination in the 9th Presidential election of the country,” he wrote on X.

This was the first presidential election of Sri Lanka after the 2022 economic crisis caused from excessive borrowing on projects that did not generate revenue.

Economic mismanagement by successive governments also weakened Sri Lanka’s public finances. The situation was exacerbated by deep tax cuts enacted by the Rajapaksa government soon after it took office in 2019.

Months later, the COVID-19 pandemic struck, wiping out much of Sri Lanka’s revenue base, mainly from tourism. Remittances from nationals working abroad dropped, forcing the government to draw from foreign exchange reserves. Fuel shortages led to long queues at filling stations as well as frequent blackouts, while hospitals ran short of medicine.

The economic collapse led to persistent antigovernment protests, with demonstrators taking over key buildings and forcing then-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to flee the country and resign. Ranil Wickremesinghe was elected by a parliamentary vote in July 2022 to cover the remainder of Rajapaksa’s five-year term. (ANI)

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Actor Samantha Ruth Prabhu never misses chance to treat her fans with a glimpse of her personal or professional life. Her latest post featuring pictures from her brother David Prabhu’s wedding is proof.

On Saturday, Samantha shared some captivating pictures from her brother’s wedding in picturesque Lake Geneva, Wisconsin on her Instagram handle.

Samantha looked stunning in a purple gown with slit detailing.

For the glam, she opted for minimal makeup. Her wavy hair definitely accentuated her Western look.

In one of the images, she is seen facing her back to the camera, holding a bouquet of vibrant flowers.

Beaming with joy as Samantha poses with her family.

She also shared some adorable moments with her brother and her mother, Ninette Prabhu.

Along with the post, Samantha wrote, “Family.”

As soon as the post was shared, fans chimed in the comment section.

One of the users wrote, “You redefined ‘drop-dead gorgeous’ with your aura and presence Sammy.”

Another user commented, “Sam pic with your brothers & mommy is the cutest! Life comes full circle. I am so happy.”

“Overjoyed seeing you surrounded by so much love !! You’re radiating happiness snuggled up with your adorable family. A true Mamma’s girl for sure,” another comment read.

Meanwhile, on the work front, Samantha is preparing for Citadel: Honey Bunny alongside Bollywood heartthrob Varun Dhawan. This upcoming web series is an Indian adaptation of the Russo brothers’ Citadel, which originally featured Priyanka Chopra and Richard Madden.

Apart from this, Samantha will star in Bangaram, a film she announced on her birthday this year. This project is especially significant for her as it marks her debut as a producer. (ANI)

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On the occasion of National Daughter’s Day, actor Shilpa Shetty Kundra shared an adorable video of her baby girl Samisha to mark this day.

Taking to Instagram, Shilpa posted a heartwarming video with a cute caption for her daughter.

The video features Samisha drawing and cutely wrote “I love you mom,” on the sheet.

Sharing the pictures, she wrote. “My baby girl. Happy Daughters day my darling Samisha, thank you for choosing me.”

As soon as the video was shared, fans chimed in the comment section.

One of the users wrote, “Sooo cute Sooo sweet princess.”

Another user commented, ” so sweet.”

Shilpa tied the knot with businessman Raj Kundra on November 22, 2009. In May 2012, the two became parents to a son Viaan. And in February 2020 the couple welcomed Samisha, who was born via surrogacy.

Talking about Daughter’s Day, the fourth Sunday of September is celebrated as the Daughters’ Day in India. Different countries celebrate their own National Daughters’ Day on different dates.

National Daughter’s Day is a special time to recognize and appreciate the priceless impact that daughters have in our lives.

This year, the special occasion is celebrated on September 22.

On the professional front, Shilpa was last seen in the web series Indian Police Force. Directed by Rohit Shetty, the series also starred Sidharth Malhotra and Vivek Oberoi in lead roles. The show premiered earlier this year on Amazon Prime Video.

Shilpa will next appear in the upcoming Kannada film KD: The Devil. The film also stars Dhruva Sarja, V Ravichandran, Ramesh Aravind, Sanjay Dutt, Jisshu Sengupta and Nora Fatehi in lead roles.

Directed by Prem, ‘KD-The Devil’, the Pan-India multilingual is set to release in Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, and Hindi. It is a period action entertainer based on true events from 1970s Bangalore. (ANI)

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Nayanthara gave her fans a glimpse into her family moments featuring her twin sons, Uyir and Ulag.

On Saturday, Nayanthara shared a series of pictures.

The first picture captures the beautiful bond between mother and son on the lens.

In the next photo, Nayanthara can be seen planting a kiss on her son’s cheek.

Nayanthara’s post is full of precious moments with sons in Greece

Sharing the pictures, she wrote, “My heart.”

As soon as the pictures were shared, fans chimed in the comment section.

One of the users wrote, “Awwwww you won the heart. stay Happy and blessed always God bless you Nayan.”

Another user commented, “Awe.”

Nayanthara and Vignesh Shivan married in Chennai on June 9, 2022. It was an intimate wedding with only their close friends and select guests, including Shah Rukh Khan, AR Rahman, Suriya, and Rajinikanth, in attendance.

The couple welcomed their sons via surrogacy in 2022. The news was shared by Vignesh on his Instagram handle where he shared pictures of his twin newborns named Uyir and Ulagam. In the images, the duo was seen kissing the feet of their babies.

He captioned the post by writing, “Nayan and Me have become Amma and Appa. We are blessed with Twin Baby Boys. All Our prayers, and our ancestors’ blessings combined with all the good manifestations made, have come 2gethr in the form Of 2 blessed babies for us. Need all ur blessings for our Uyir and Ulagam. Life looks brighter and more beautiful. God is double great.”

Nayanthara was last seen in Malayalam cinema in the 2022 film Gold, where she starred alongside Prithviraj Sukumaran.

She made her Bollywood debut in Jawan alongside Shah Rukh Khan last year and has also appeared in Tamil films such as Iraivan and Annapoorani: The Goddess of Food. (ANI)

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West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wrote another letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, expressing concern over the flooding in South Bengal, which she attributed to “abnormally heavy releases of water from the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) reservoirs in Jharkhand.”

In her letter dated September 21, CM Banerjee voiced her disagreement with the central government’s handling of the situation. She claimed that the water release from the DVC reservoirs was done unilaterally, without sufficient input from her government.

She said that “decisions related to water management were made by the Central Water Commission and the Ministry of Jal Shakti without a consensus being reached with West Bengal authorities.”

Banerjee highlighted that a peak water release, lasting for nine hours, was initiated with only 3.5 hours’ notice, which she deemed inadequate for effective disaster management.

“The peak water releases from the reservoirs lasting for a prolonged period of 9 hours, were conducted with only 3.5 hours of notice, which proved insufficient for effective disaster management,” she wrote.

“In light of these concerns, I reiterate the demands mentioned in my perious letter dated 20.09.2024 and I request your kind personal intervention to address these issues urgently,” she added.

Banerjee posted a copy of the letter on X on Sunday, saying, “This is my second letter to the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India regarding the devastating MAN-MADE flood in South Bengal caused by unprecedented release of water by DVC.”

In her previous letter, Banerjee had noted that the floods had affected five million people and urged the central government to release emergency funds to support recovery efforts.

“The floods have led to significant loss of crops, damage to public infrastructure, and destruction of homes and livestock,” she wrote, adding the state government is working hard to provide relief, with operations underway to evacuate people to safer shelters.

Banerjee urged the Prime Minister to seriously consider her concerns and requested the release of funds for flood management efforts to help the affected population. (ANI)

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t least 50 people died and 20 injured in a devastating mine explosion in eastern Iran. The incident has also sparked fears that many more workers may be trapped beneath the rubble, according to a report by Al Jazeera.

A methane gas leak caused a deadly explosion at a coal mine in Tabas, located 540 kilometres southeast of the Iranian capital Tehran, Al Jazeera said, citing the IRNA news agency. The blast occurred on Saturday night, endangering 69 miners in one of the tunnels.

The 69 miners were working in two blocks, B and C, of the mine when the sudden gas leak occurred at 9:00pm (1730 GMT) on Saturday, according to the IRNA report.

The governor of South Khorasan Province Ali Akbar Rahimi told state TV that rescue operations in block C have started. He further stated that methane density in the block is high and the operation will take around three-four hours.

Meanwhile, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian expressed his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims of the coal mine explosion in Tabas. He said that authorities have been deployed to the area to investigate the incident.

In a rough translation of his post on X, Pezeshkian said, “The news of Tabas mine incident is very painful and impressive. I offer my heartfelt condolences to the compatriots who lost their loved ones in this incident and consider myself a partner in their grief. The Ministers of Labor and Security have been sent to Tabas to investigate and deal with the issue.” (ANI)

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International wrestler Sangram Singh made his mark in the Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) world by winning his debut fight at the Gama International Fighting Championship in Tbilisi.

Singh won in a mere minute and thirty seconds against Pakistani fighter Ali Raza Nasir, who is seventeen years younger than him. Fit India icon and Commonwealth Heavyweight wrestling champion. Among the eleven competing nations, this incredible accomplishment represents the fastest win ever registered by an Indian fighter in the 93 kg division.

Anticipating a smooth transition from wrestling to mixed martial arts, Commonwealth heavyweight wrestling champion Sangram Singh’s performance exceeded expectations in his MMA debut for the India versus Pakistan match.

Singh gained a clear victory by showcasing his grappling skills and strategic acumen. Singh has a background in traditional wrestling and an unwavering dedication to training.

“I am immensely proud to bring this victory home for India. It is my hope that the acknowledgement on a global scale will motivate the Indian government to implement programmes that support mixed martial arts (MMA) and inspire young people to pursue this sport. I have no doubt that this will encourage a great deal of young athletes to find their inner strength, strive for greatness, and overcome obstacles in the mixed martial arts world,” Singh was quoted in a release from MMA as saying.

This historic victory not only emphasises Singh’s individual accomplishment but also points to an increasing awareness of Indian fighters in the international mixed martial arts community.

Being the first male wrestler from India to enter the mixed martial arts scene and win, Sangram Singh is well-positioned to lead the way for upcoming athletes.

The Gama International Fighting Championship is known for its competitive spirit and diverse lineup of fighters from around the world. Sangram Singh’s win adds to the excitement and momentum of this prestigious event, demonstrating the potential of Indian athletes in combat sports. (ANI)

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