Month: December 2024

Ahead of the 2025 Delhi Assembly elections, Former Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal on Monday announced ‘Pujari, Granthi Samman Yojana’ under which he stated that the priests of temples and the ‘granthis’ of the Gurudwara will receive an honorarium of about Rs 18,000 per month. He further stated that this scheme would be implemented once the AAP from the government winning in the upcoming polls in the national capital.

“Today I am making an important announcement regarding a scheme. The name of the scheme is Pujari Granthi Samman Yojana. Under this, there is a provision to give an honorarium to the priests of temples and the ‘granthis’ of the Gurudwara. They will be given an honorarium of about Rs 18,000 per month. This is happening for the first time in the country. The priest is a class that has carried forward the rituals from generation to generation. They never paid attention to their family and we never paid attention to them,” said Kejriwal.

“We know how pujaris serve us. Be it the birthday of our kid or the death of a loved one, they have always connected us with God. But they never gave attention to their own families, and neither did we pay enough attention to them. This is happening for the first time in the country. We have done many works in the national capital which happened for the very first time. We improved schools and hospitals and made bus travel for women. I just hope that the BJP and the Congress governments will learn from this and will implement such schemes in the state run by them,” he added further.

Slamming the BJP, he said that they tried their best to halt Mahila Samman Yojana by making false cases and sending police. The registration for the same scheme is still underway. They tried to halt Sanjeevani Yojana but could not. I want them to not do the same with this scheme.

Earlier on Monday, Imams of Delhi Waqf Board protested outside the residence Arvind Kejriwal over the delay in the release of their salaries. Speaking to ANI, All India Imam Association Chairman Sajid Rashidi expressed dismay over the delay in the release of salaries of the imams of the Delhi Waqf Board by the Delhi government.

Rashidi stated that they haven’t received their salaries from last 17 months, adding that they are continuously meeting several officials and leaders of the government, but no action has been taken yet into the matter. Rashidi gave an ultimatum to the Delhi government saying that if their salaries wouldn’t get sanctioned, the imams will sit on protest here and not get up till they get their salaries. (ANI)

At just four years old, Radha fled from Pakistan with her family, and now at 18, as a newly minted Indian citizen, she is preparing to cast her first vote in the upcoming Delhi assembly elections.

For her, voting is more than just participating in the political process–it’s about finally having a voice in the country she now proudly calls home.

Radha is among 300 Pakistani Hindus who have applied for voter IDs ahead of the Delhi Assembly election.

These individuals were granted citizenship under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), 2019, in May 2024.

Flanked by her aunts and mother, the timid teenager, expressed cautious optimism. “I got my citizenship certificate earlier this year. We recently applied for voter IDs. This would be the first time I would cast a vote like a true Indian. I hope whichever government comes to power lets us stay here and supports us,” she said.

Asked about local issues, Radha pointed to unemployment. “Yes, a lot of people are unemployed here. We feel there should be more job opportunities for us,” she said.

The Assembly elections in Delhi are scheduled early next year. However, unemployment and housing remain significant challenges for the residents of this camp, many of whom have lived here for over a decade but only recently received citizenship.

Most women in the community are housewives, while the men work as daily wagers or run small kiosks selling phone accessories. Elders hope that citizenship will unlock new opportunities, including stable jobs and farming prospects.

“Back in Pakistan, we were farmers. We ran from there to escape persecution. Here we are happy but lack land for farming. If the government could give us land on lease along the Yamuna, we could grow anything and provide for our families,” said 50-year-old Puran, who arrived in Delhi via train in 2013. Puran, who has two wives and 21 children, has married off 20 of them and wishes to secure land for farming.

“My children keep asking me to buy land so they can start farming, but we don’t have enough money. I hope the government helps us by giving us land on lease,” he added.

Dharamvir Solanki, the camp’s pradhan, noted that the settlement comprises 217 families, with around 1,000 individuals. “Additionally, 300 people have applied for voter IDs. We also have Aadhaar cards and hope to get ration cards soon,” said Solanki, who arrived in Delhi in 2013 with several Hindu families from Sindh, Pakistan, on religious visas.

Amid this, residents like Nanaki, grieving the loss of her mother-in-law, have echoed the community’s call for land to farm. “I don’t want a house or freebies. I just hope the government gives us land on lease so we can work and earn. If we earn, we can build houses ourselves,” she said.

For these families, the upcoming elections carry the hope of stability, dignity, and the means to rebuild their lives in the country they now call home. (ANI)

After celebrating Christmas holidays in Alibag, Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan on Sunday returned to Mumbai with his family members including wife Gauri, daughter Suhana and son AbRam.

The Khan family was spotted arriving at the Jetty, Gateway of India, in Mumbai. What captured everyone’s attention was SRK lovingly holding his pet dog in his arms.

Shah Rukh was seen donning a black oversized hoodie and cargo pants. He covered his face with the hoodie’s cap. Gauri opted for a white shirt that she paired with a yellow blazer and black flared pants.

Fans left in awe after seeing SRK with his “furry friend”.

In no time, fans flooded social media with SRK and his pet dog’s visuals.

“So cute,” a social media user commented.

“How adorable,” another one wrote.

Suhana’s rumoured boyfriend and actor Agastya Nanda was also spotted with them. He looked uber cool in a black t-shirt paired with blue denim and a black cap. Suhana was seen wearing a black crop top and blue denims. She twinned with Agastya in a black cap.

Meanwhile, on the work front, SRK in November attended the Global Freight Summit in Dubai, where he got candid about his personal and professional life.

During the conversation with the moderator, SRK not only talked about his stardom but also shared how he dealt with failures.

Urging people to introspect rather than dwell on their failures, he said, “When you fail, you should not believe that your product or service or job went wrong. Maybe you just misunderstood the ecosystem you were working in. You have to understand how people are reacting. If I cannot elicit an emotion from the people I cater to, then my product is not going to work how wonderful it may be.”

When asked if he is critical of his work sometimes, Shah Rukh candidly admitted, “Yes, I am. I hate feeling this way, and I cry a lot in my bathroom. I don’t show it to anyone. You must believe that the world is not against you. If your film did go wrong, it’s not because of you or some conspiracy. You have to accept that you made it badly, and then you have to move on.”

He also emphasised how one should be focused on learning how to move on from failures.”There are moments of despair but there are moments which say, ‘shut up, get up and get on with it’. You have to do it because the world is not against you. You should not believe that things are going wrong only for you. Life moves on. Life does what it does. You cannot start blaming life for what it does,” he added.

After taking break from the films for over four years, SRK returned to the silver screen with Siddharth Anand’s ‘Pathaan’ in January 2023.

In the film, SRK donned an action avatar and left everyone in awe. The film broke several records at the box office and managed to grab a name in the list of one of the highest-grossing films in the Indian film industry.

The film marked SRK’s first hit after his sabbatical of four years post delivering a series of duds like ‘Zero’ and ‘Jab Harry Met Sejal’.

After ‘Pathaan’, King Khan returned to theatres in September with ‘Jawan’. The film once again saw SRK in an action avatar. The film collected over Rs 1000 cr at the worldwide box office. ‘Jawan’ redefined box office success, captivating audiences with its gripping storyline and stellar performances, and rewriting record books along the way.

In the coming months, SRK will be seen headlining ‘King’ film. (ANI)

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Sunday dismissed the Aam Aadmi Party’s allegations of operating “Operation Lotus” in Delhi for voter manipulation and challenged the notion that Rohingyas, whom AAP has accused the party of settling in Delhi for votes, would ever support the BJP.

In a sharp rebuttal to AAP’s accusations of voter manipulation, Hardeep Puri questioned the credibility of the claims.

“Do you think that the Rohingyas, in any condition, will vote for the BJP? There is no chance that they will vote for us,” Hardeep Puri asserted, turning the tables on the accusations.

When asked about, AAP’s charges that ‘Operation Lotus’ is being operated in Delhi from December 15 wherein BJP has cut out 5000 voters and added 7000 voters.

Replying to the allegations, Hardeep Puri said, “This is the same Arvind Kejriwal and the same Aam Aadmi Party that were claiming that the BJP has brought Rohingyas to Delhi. We (BJP) have clarified everything in connection with this. Do you think that the Rohingyas in any condition will vote for the BJP? There is no chance that they will vote for us.”

“This has all been done by the AAP. These ‘illegal infiltrators’ have been brought and settled by them for votes. If you cut these votes, I say it will be very good for our democratic process. Arvind Kejriwal says one thing and the very next moment changes his stance on that,” said Puri.

The BJP leader’s response underscores the idea that the party believes allegations of settling Rohingyas in Delhi for electoral gain are baseless. They contend that any suggestion that the Rohingyas–whom AAP has painted as a vote bank for BJP–would vote for the party is far-fetched.

Puri on Sunday also attacked AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal over the party’s welfare schemes and accused the former Delhi Chief Minister of ‘deceiving’ the people.

The Union Minister said, “Aisa koi saga nahi jise Kejriwal ne thaga nahi” (there is no one whom Kejriwal has not deceived).

Puri claimed that the Mahila ‘Samman Yojana’ and ‘Sanjeevani’ schemes lack proper budgetary provisions and cabinet approval. The Mahila Samman Yojana is aimed at providing women residing in Delhi with Rs 2,100 per month.

The minister questioned the sincerity of the schemes, stating that announcing such plans without clear financial backing or a robust implementation process is a betrayal to the people.

He accused Arvind Kejriwal of losing his ‘mental equilibrium’ after Kejriwal alleged the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of running “Operation Lotus” in his constituency.

This comes after Earlier today, former Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of running “Operation Lotus” in the New Delhi constituency since December 15 to delete voters from the voter list.

Addressing a press conference, Kejriwal said, “In my New Delhi assembly constituency – their (BJP) ‘operation Lotus’ has been going on since December 15. In these 15 days, they have applied for the deletion of 5,000 votes and the addition of 7,500 votes. Why there is a need to conduct elections if you are manipulating approximately 12 per cent of total voters in the assembly? A kind of ‘game’ is being going on in the name of election.”

Puri expressed confidence in his party’s victory in the upcoming Delhi assembly elections, which are expected to be held in early 2025, saying, “The electoral results of Delhi will be the same as those of Haryana and Maharashtra.” (ANI)

The Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) on Sunday issued a warning to Taiwanese travellers visiting China to exercise caution while taking photos, adding that specific postures and positions could lead to their arrest by Chinese authorities, Taipei Times reported.

The Straits Exchange Foundation is a semiofficial organization set up by the Taiwanese Government to handle civil and business matters.

According to SEF Secretary-General Luo Wen-chia, starting in July, public security or national security officials can inspect or confiscate anyone’s phones or electronic devices.

Taiwan nationals travelling to China must be careful that their photos do not contravene regulations as dictated by the Chinese Ministry of State Security, as per Taipei Times.

The Chinese Ministry of State Security has outlined three types of information that could lead to detention, which include if their photos include geographical information, were taken near sensitive areas, or facilities of critical infrastructure or scientific research, or exposed certain documents, indexes or design blueprints.

A recent incident involving a Taiwanese youth has highlighted the importance of being cautious when travelling to China. According to Luo, the youth was arrested and detained for three days after taking a photo at Tiananmen Square.

The Taiwanese made a “V” sign that covered some Chinese characters on the entrance to the Forbidden City, making it appear to say “Long Live the Republic of China” rather than “Long Live the People’s Republic of China,” Luo said.

Luo cited this incident as a warning to Taiwanese travellers to be mindful of their actions and behaviour when visiting China.

In a separate matter, Luo also warned about the dangers of counterfeit goods being sold in China. Specifically, he mentioned fake down jackets being sold in China, which use recycled feathers from badminton shuttlecocks, Luo said, adding that the jackets not only fail to keep the wearer warm but might also poison or cause an allergic reaction.

According to the Taipei Times, some feminine products sold in China also had high residual amounts of formaldehyde, and some even contained insect eggs, he cited media reports as saying.

Luo urged Taiwanese to pay attention to the original production area of down jackets and feminine products, and to refrain from purchasing such items online. (ANI)

Renowned Malayalam film and television actor Dileep Shankar has passed away. He was found dead in a hotel room in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday.

As per Cantonment Police, Dileep, who is known for his roles in popular serials like Amma Ariyathe, Sundari, and Panchagni, had checked into the hotel four days ago to work on a serial project. His co-stars had called the actor on the phone but could not reach him. Following this, hotel staff and his colleagues entered his room, where they found him dead.

Forensic experts have examined the scene, and the exact cause of death will be determined following a post-mortem examination.

Also, according to the police’s initial evaluation, there are no unnatural factors involved in the actor’s death.

After the news broke out, fans and several members of the film industry expressed shock on social media. (ANI)

South Africa registered their spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025 which is set to be played at the Lord’s next year following their victory against Pakistan by two wickets in the first Test of their two-match series here on Sunday.

The Proteas were already on top of the WTC standings after a 2-0 series sweep against Sri Lanka at home. Having played 11 Tests in the ongoing cycle, South Africa have won seven games and have a win percentage of 66.67.

Having started off the ongoing cycle with a drawn series at home against India, followed by a clean sweep at the hands of New Zealand, the Proteas bounced back with impressive wins away from home against West Indies and Bangladesh, followed by dominant displays at home.

The Temba Bavuma-led side pipped Australia, India and Sri Lanka – who are also in contention – to become the first team to book a spot in the Final at Lord’s next year, barring any point deductions owing to slow-over rate.

Requiring a win to confirm qualification, South Africa had been dealt early blows by Pakistan late on the third day after the visitors had set up a total of 148. At Stumps on Saturday, the Proteas were three down for 27 at the SuperSport Park.

But starting the day’s play on Sunday, skipper Temba Bavuma combined alongside Aiden Markram to restore some calm, but Pakistan forged another comeback with pacer Mohammad Abbas snapping six wickets in the second innings.

The Proteas were left teetering at 99/8 when Kagiso Rabada (31) joined Marco Jansen (16) in the middle. The duo combined to add runs for the ninth wicket to seal the win.

Earlier, South Africa had won the toss and elected to field first in Centurion.

The hosts were put in the driving seat after Dane Paterson (5/61) and debutant Corbin Bosch (4/63) ran through the visiting batting on the opening day.

With Pakistan putting a fight back with the ball, Aiden Markram and Corbin Bosch gritted it out with the bat to help the home team gain a 64-run lead in the first innings.

Despite half-centuries from Babar Azam and Saud Shakeel, Pakistan were unable to capitalise with the bat and post a challenging total.

Marco Jansen was the pick of the bowlers for the Proteas, snapping the third fifth-wicket haul of his career as Pakistan bundled out for 211.

The hosts eventually managed to chase down the total in the most dramatic of ways to make it to the WTC Final for the first time.

Brief Score: Pakistan 211 & 237 (Saud Shakeel 84, Babar Azam 50, Marco Jansen 6/52) vs South Africa 301 & 150/8 (Temba Bavuma 40, Aiden Markram 37, Mohammad Abbas 6-54). (ANI)

Jan Suraj chief Prashant Kishore joined the aspirants of the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) in their protest in Gandhi Maidan on Sunday.

The BPSC aspirants continue their protest demanding a re-exam to be held for the 70th BPSC prelims.

Meanwhile, accusing the Bihar government of turning democracy into “lathi-tantra,” Kishore emphasised the right to protest of the students in public spaces.

Speaking to the media, Kishore said, “We are not going for a protest. Students are sitting there, we are going to meet them. Gandhi Maidan is a public place, people go there every day. If the students do not have any place, they will go to a public place. I don’t know why the government has made it a question of its prestige, somewhere they are harming themselves.”

Kishore further added, “Bihar is the mother of democracy and if the students here do not have the right to speak their minds, then this is becoming a ‘lathi-tantra’… that’s why we are with the students.”

Gaurav Kumar, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), also reached Gandhi Maidan, where the BPSC aspirants are protesting and demanding a re-examination to be held for the 70th BPSC prelims.

On Saturday, Delhi Police detained members of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) who were protesting outside Bihar Bhawan in Delhi against the police lathi charge on BPSC aspirants in Patna.

The protesting students in Patna are demanding the cancellation of the Integrated Combined (Preliminary) Competitive Examination (CCE) 2024 conducted by the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) on December 13. (ANI)

Aam Aadmi Party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal has written a letter to the District Electoral Officer of New Delhi alleging an “unusual spike” in voter addition and deletion applications in the New Delhi Assembly Constituency in recent days.

“I am writing to bring to your immediate attention a significant rise in the number of voter addition and deletion applications received in the New Delhi Assembly Constituency over the past few days,” the letter dated December 28 reads.

AAP convenor further alleged that a “sinister plan” is being made to tinker with the electoral rolls.

“It is concerning that these applications have been submitted after the conclusion of the comprehensive Special Summary Revision exercise. This raises serious concerns about a sinister plan to tinker with the electoral rolls, which are the very foundation of any free and fair election,” the letter added.

Highlighting a sharp increase in voter addition and deletion applications, Kejriwal asked “at whose behest the names of voters are being deleted” and requested the DEO to share the details of individuals who have submitted more than five deletion applications since October 29.

“To address this matter, I kindly request you to provide details of individuals (objectors) who have submitted more than five deletion applications since October 29, 2024. Specifically, we seek either their EPIC details or copies of Form 7 filed by them. I have enclosed the list of such individuals who have filed more than 5 forms from 29 October to 25 December 2024. Who are these individuals who are so keen to get names of voters deleted at such a large scale? At whose behest are operating? What are their intentions?” the letter stated.

AAP convenor urged “no further voter deletions” in the constituency unless it is a case of migration or death. He further added that if the Election Commission finds it necessary to delete any voter’s name, such actions must be preceded by thorough on-ground verification conducted by the Booth Level Officer (BLO) in the presence of Booth Level Agents of all parties.

“To safeguard the integrity of the electoral process, I strongly urge that no further voter deletions be carried out in the constituency unless it is a case of Migration (i.e. Form 8) and a death case which must be duly accompanied with a death certificate. In any case, no deletion should be undertaken without rigorous verification. If the Election Commission deems it absolutely necessary to delete any voter’s name, such actions must be preceded by thorough on-ground verification conducted by the Booth Level Officer (BLO) in the presence of Booth Level Agents (BLA-1 and BLA-2) of all parties. This step is essential to ensure that no genuine voter is unfairly removed,” the letter added.

The former Delhi Chief Minister also held a press conference today, accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party of running an “Operation Lotus” since December 15 in his constituency, by filing applications for the deletion of 5,000 votes and the addition of 7,500 votes.

AAP convenor said, “In my New Delhi assembly constituency – their (BJP) ‘operation Lotus’ has been going on since December 15. In these 15 days, they have filed application for the deletion of 5,000 votes and the addition of 7,500 votes… Why there is a need to conduct elections if you are manipulating approximately 12 per cent of total voters in the assembly? A kind of ‘game’ is being going on in the name of election.”

“BJP wants to win the election anyhow, even by dishonesty… But, the people of Delhi will not let this happen. The said tactics they used in Haryana and Maharashtra assembly elections – we will not let them win here by using that tactic,” he added.

Ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections 2025, the battle between the AAP, BJP and Congress has become intense, with all three parties levelling allegations on each other.

The Delhi Assembly polls 2025 are due in February 2025. (ANI)

Star shuttler PV Sindhu recently embarked on a new chapter of her life by tying the knot with Hyderabad businessmen Venkata Datta Sai.

On Saturday, Sindhu took to Instagram and shared a dreamy video from her wedding ceremony, which was held in Udaipur.

The video shows Sindhu and Venkata sealing their relationship with love. Sindhu looked mesmerising in a bridal lehenga. The adorable moments were captured by The Wedding Filmer.

From fireworks to embracing cultural rituals, Sindhu and Venkata’s wedding festivities turned out to be a beautiful affair.

Sharing the video, Sindhu simply dropped an infinity symbol and thanked her team for making her wedding ceremony the most memorable day of her life.

Sindhu and Venkata’s wedding video garnered loads of likes and comments from netizens.

Reacting to the post, a social media user wrote, “How beautiful.”

“So so adorable,” another one commented.

The three days of festivities, which took place the past weekend, included a sangeet, a haldi, a pellikuthuru, a Bridgerton-inspired mehendi, a varmala, and a wedding ceremony.

For her wedding ceremony, Sindhu opted for a tissue sari by Manish Malhotra, styled with a multi-tiered heirloom necklace. Her husband wore a traditional ivory sherwani from the same designer.

Recently, Sindhu ended her Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Tour drought of over two years by defeating China’s Wu Luo Yu in the finals of the Syed Modi India International badminton tournament in Lucknow.

In the title clash lasting for 47 minutes, Sindhu defeated Luo Yu 21-14, 21-16 in two straight games.This was Sindhu’s first BWF World Tour title since the Singapore Open title in July 2022, which was a BWF Super 500 tournament, as compared to Syed Modi India International, which is a BWF Super 300 tournament. In 2023 and this year, she had reached the finals of the Spain Masters and Malaysia Masters but failed to win the title.

In her illustrious career, Sindhu has amassed five medals at the BWF World Championships, joining China’s Zhang Ning as one of only two women to achieve this feat. At the 2016 Rio Olympics, she became the first Indian badminton player to reach the Olympic final, earning a silver medal after a hard-fought match against Spain’s Carolina Marin. She continued to make history at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where she won a bronze medal, becoming the first Indian woman to win two Olympic medals.

Sindhu’s achievements have cemented her status as a prominent figure in badminton, inspiring countless young athletes in India and around the world. (ANI)