Month: December 2024

The last rites of former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh will be held on Saturday, an official announcement is expected on Friday.

“The last rites of former PM Dr Manmohan Singh will be held the day after tomorrow. We will announce officially…” Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal told reporters in Delhi late Thursday night.

The Congress leader described the demise of Dr. Manmohan Singh as a “painful loss” for the nation.

“Dr Manmohan Singh was the real icon of the Congress and the country. A post-independence hero. His mission and ability to govern the country was witnessed by everyone…” he said.

He further said that all the programs of the Congress have been cancelled for seven days including the Congress Foundation Day scheduled to be held on December 28.

The body of Dr Manmohan Singh reached his residence at 3 Motilal Nehru Marg late Thursday night from AIIMS and will be placed for the public to pay their last respects.

Senior Congress leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, Chairperson of the Congress Parliamentary Party, and MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, visited Dr Singh’s residence. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi returned to Delhi from Karnataka’s Belagavi, to pay their respects.

Congress leaders expressed their condolences and praised Dr Singh’s pivotal role in shaping India’s economy.

Dr. Manmohan Singh passed away at AIIMS, Delhi, on Thursday evening at the age of 92 due to age-related health conditions. He reportedly suffered a sudden loss of consciousness at home before being rushed to AIIMS.

“With profound grief, we inform the demise of former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, aged 92. He was being treated for age-related medical conditions and had sudden loss of consciousness at home on 26th December 2024. Resuscitative measures were started immediately at home. He was brought to the Medical Emergency at AIIMS, New Delhi at 8:06 PM. Despite all efforts, he could not be revived and was declared dead at 9:51 PM,” AIIMS said in a press release.

In a condolence message on X, LoP in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, said that Manmohan Singh Ji led India with immense wisdom and integrity.

“His humility and deep understanding of economics inspired the nation. My heartfelt condolences to Mrs. Kaur and the family. I have lost a mentor and guide. Millions of us who admired him will remember him with the utmost pride,” Rahul Gandhi wrote.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said Manmohan Singh has left his indelible imprint on our history.

“His Prime Ministership saw revolutionary legislation relating to rural employment, tribal rights, reservations for scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and OBCs, primary education, food security, and land acquisition. The Indo-US nuclear agreement was a landmark that enhanced India’s global status. His Prime Ministership saw the highest GDP growth rate in the country’s history,” Jairam Ramesh said in his tributes on X.

“Many of the initiatives he took as PM were marketed, branded, and projected as his successor’s contributions. But Dr Singh never minded and would give his trademark smile,” Ramesh said.

Several Congress leaders, including Chief Ministers Revanth Reddy, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, and Siddaramaiah, paid their respects. Leaders from opposition parties, including Mamata Banerjee, Pinarayi Vijayan, Bhagwant Mann, Akhilesh Yadav, Arvind Kejriwal and Hemant Soren, also expressed their sorrow.

Ghulam Nabi Azad, President of the Democratic Progressive Azad Party, said, “Very sad… He can never be forgotten. I pray for peace to his soul.”

Congress MP and Bihar Congress President Akhilesh Prasad Singh called the demise “a personal loss.”

Congress leader Rajesh Thakur also consoled Dr Singh’s demise, saying, “Today we have lost a respected person of the country, whose loss can never be filled… He (former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh) worked continuously for every person and also worked to strengthen the country’s economy…”

Congress leader and former Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel said, “The news of the demise of former PM Manmohan Singh is unfortunate. It is an irreparable loss for the nation and the Congress Party…”

Manmohan Singh, born in Punjab in 1932, served as India’s Prime Minister for two consecutive terms, from 2004 to 2014.

He took the oath of office for the first time in 2004, after Congress’ win in the 2004 Lok Sabha election against Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led NDA. He served his second term from 2009 to 2014. He was then succeeded by PM Narendra Modi in 2014.

He retired from the Rajya Sabha earlier this year, after serving for 33 years. (ANI)

The film starring Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan’s son Junaid Khan and Khushi Kapoor has been titled ‘Loveyapa’.

On Thursday, the makers revealed the film’s title with a new poster.

“Situationship? Relationship?Love ka syapa? ya Loveyapa?See you in the theatres on the 7th of Feb 2025,” a post read on the official Instagram handle of Phantom Studios.

The upcoming rom-com will be released on February 7, 2025. Advait Chandan, who helmed ‘Laal Singh Chaddha’, has come on board to direct the project.

The film is produced by Phantom Studios and AGS Entertainment. As per the makers, Loveyapa is a “tangled tale of love and its complications with a mix of fun and laughter, shaping up to be a cinematic treat.”

Junaid made his acting debut with Netflix’s film ‘Maharaj’, which also features Jaideep Ahlawat and Sharvari. Directed by Siddharth P Malhotra and produced by Aditya Chopra under YRF Entertainment, the film delves into pre-independent India, revolving around the Maharaj Libel Case of 1862.

Khushi, daughter of late Sridevi and producer Boney Kapoor, also made her acting debut with Netflix. She starred in Zoya Akhtar’s directorial ‘The Archies’, which also marked the debut of Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan’s daughter Suhana and Amitabh Bachchan’s grandson Agastya. The film hit the OTT platform last year. (ANI)

Former Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan penned a heartfelt and emotional note for his son Zoraver on his birthday.

Taking to Instagram, Shikhar wrote, “No matter the distance, even if we can’t connect as we once did, you will always be in my heart. Wishing you a year filled with madness, love, and happiness, Zora beta!”

Dhawan and his former wife, Ayesha Mukherjee, parted ways after a failed marriage in October last year. During the separation, the Delhi family court granted Dhawan a divorce decree on the grounds of cruelty. He has not been able to meet his son Zoraver in person for two years since the end of the marriage.

Dhawan often shares pictures of his son on social media, expressing his longing to reunite with Zoraver. His latest post received an outpouring of love from netizens.

“Father love,” commented one user.

“Adorable,” wrote another.

On the professional front, Dhawan announced his retirement from domestic and international cricket in August this year. Following his retirement, he joined the Karnali Yaks after being released by Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Punjab Kings (PBKS) ahead of the 2025 mega-auction.

In IPL 2024, Dhawan represented PBKS in five matches, scoring 152 runs at a strike rate of 125.62. His season was cut short due to an injury that sidelined him for the remainder of the tournament.

The 38-year-old ended his illustrious cricketing career with an emotional announcement on Instagram. Known for his effortless run-scoring, Dhawan was a standout performer for India, particularly in the ODI format.

In 167 ODI matches, he amassed 6,793 runs at an impressive average of 44.1, including 17 centuries and 39 fifties. In Test cricket, where he formed memorable partnerships with Murali Vijay, Dhawan scored 2,315 runs in 34 matches at an average of 40.6, with seven centuries and five half-centuries.

In T20Is, Dhawan made 68 appearances, scoring 1,759 runs at an average of 27.9, including 11 fifties. In the domestic circuit, he played 122 First-Class matches, accumulating 8,499 runs at an average of 44.26, with 25 centuries and 29 fifties. (ANI)

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Thursday said that he, along with NCP leader Ajit Pawar and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, would meet again soon to formulate a comprehensive strategy aimed at furthering the state’s development agenda.

Shinde stated that discussions would also be held with Prime Minister Modi as part of a coordinated approach to addressing Maharashtra’s developmental needs.

The Deputy Chief Minister added that following the formation of the state government and the subsequent expansion of the cabinet, Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the government for the state’s development.

“After the formation of government in Maharashtra and the expansion of the cabinet, I met with the PM and he congratulated us for the success and the work we did for the development of the state. I, Ajit Pawar and Devendra Fadnavis will meet again and will chalk out the strategy for the development of the state. We will also discuss this with the PM,” Shinde told ANI.

Earlier, during the winter session of the Maharashtra Legislature in Nagpur, a detailed review was presented on the measures being undertaken for the overall development of Vidarbha and Marathwada, including decisions on irrigation, industries, river-linking projects, and infrastructure.

Additionally, a blueprint for a developed, balanced, and comprehensive Maharashtra was outlined, informed by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. In this session, 17 bills were passed following extensive discussions. Chief Minister Fadnavis also mentioned that the Public Safety Bill had been referred to a joint committee to allow all stakeholders to present their views.

After the winter session of the legislature was adjourned, a press conference was held on the lawns of the legislature premises in Nagpur, led by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis stated that his government had made decisions that are beneficial for farmers, common citizens, and the development of Vidarbha and Marathwada.

An agreement was signed with the Asian Development Bank for the second phase of the Nagpur Metro project, which will receive financial assistance of Rs 3,586 crore over 20 years at an interest rate of 0.72 per cent.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also informed that the Asian Development Bank would support initiatives such as connecting villages with a population of over 1,000 through concrete roads via the ‘Mitra’ organization, strengthening industrial training institutes, and promoting the bamboo campaign.

Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde stated that several decisions taken over the past two and a half years had brought significant changes to the lives of common people. He added that their responsibility had now increased, and they would continue to work as a team for the progress and welfare of the common people, especially women.

Portfolios were announced for the new Mahayuti government in Maharashtra on December 21, with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis keeping the Home and Law and Judiciary departments, and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde receiving Urban Development and Housing and Public Works.

NCP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was allocated the Finance and Planning and Excise departments.

Portfolios were announced almost a week after the expansion of the Fadnavis-led government and almost a month after the assembly election results.

Fadnavis has kept Energy (excluding Renewable Energy), General Administration, and Information and Publicity departments unallocated.

Pankaja Munde has been allocated Environment, Climate Change, and Animal Husbandry.

Maharashtra has 36 Cabinet ministers, including the Chief Minister, and 6 Ministers of State.

Fadnavis and his two deputies took the oath on December 5. The Maharashtra cabinet was expanded on December 15, with 39 leaders taking the oath as ministers.

The Maharashtra Assembly Election 2024 witnessed a decisive victory for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Mahayuti alliance, securing a landslide win with 235 seats. The results marked a significant milestone for the BJP, which emerged as the single-largest party with 132 seats.

The Shiv Sena and NCP also made notable gains, with 57 and 41 seats, respectively. The Mahayuti alliance consisted of BJP, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, and the Nationalist Congress Party led by Ajit Pawar. (ANI)

US President-elect Donald Trump has refused to extend Christmas greetings to 37 convicts whose death sentences were commuted by incumbent President Joe Biden. Trump slammed “sleepy” Biden for pardoning the “most violent criminals” as he had “no idea, what he was doing.”

He accused the “Radical Left Lunatics” of constantly trying to obstruct the court system and elections, and targeting the citizens and patriots of the nation.

In a post shared on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump stated, “Merry Christmas to the Radical Left Lunatics, who are constantly trying to obstruct our Court System and our Elections, and are always going after the Great Citizens and Patriots of the United States but, in particular, their Political Opponent, ME. They know that their only chance of survival is getting pardons from a man who has absolutely no idea what he is doing.”

He further wrote, “Also, to the 37 most violent criminals, who killed, raped, and plundered like virtually no one before them, but were just given, incredibly, a pardon by Sleepy Joe Biden. I refuse to wish a Merry Christmas to those lucky “souls” but, instead, will say, GO TO HELL! We had the Greatest Election in the History of our Country, a bright light is now shining over the U.S.A. and, in 26 days, we will, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN. MERRY CHRISTMAS!”

https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113715169361854155

Trump’s statement came after US President Joe Biden on Monday announced that he is commuting the sentences of 37 individuals on federal death row. Their sentences will now be changed from execution to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.

In a statement released on Monday, the White House said, “Today, President Biden announced that he is commuting the sentences of 37 individuals on federal death row. Those individuals will have their sentences reclassified from execution to life without the possibility of parole.”

After commuting the sentences, Biden asserted that the commutations are consistent with the moratorium his administration has imposed on federal executions, in cases other than terrorism and hate-motivated mass murder.

Meanwhile, in his Christmas greetings, Donald Trump repeated his call to acquire the Panama Canal, Canada, and Greenland, citing national security and economic benefits. Through a series of posts on his social media platform, Truth Social on Wednesday, Trump reiterated his long-standing views on the importance of these territories for the United States.

“Merry Christmas to all, including to the wonderful soldiers of China, who are lovingly, but illegally, operating the Panama Canal (where we lost 38,000 people in its building 110 years ago), always making certain that the United States puts in Billions of Dollars in “repair” money, but will have absolutely nothing to say about “anything,” Trump wrote.

Trump added, “Also (Merry Christmas), to Governor Justin Trudeau of Canada, whose Citizens’ Taxes are far too high, but if Canada was to become our 51st State, their Taxes would be cut by more than 60%, their businesses would immediately double in size, and they would be militarily protected like no other Country anywhere in the World.”

On Greenland, he said, “Likewise, to the people of Greenland, which is needed by the United States for National Security purposes and, who want the U.S. to be there, and we will!” (ANI)

Farmer leader of Kisan Mazdoor Sanghrash Committee-Punjab, Sharvan Singh Pandher, said on Thursday that ‘Punjab Bandh’ call for December 30 has gaining support from various groups

“Punjab bandh will be observed on 30th December from 7 am to 4 pm. We have received support from many unions and groups. Both Punjab govt and private offices will remain closed on this day. Rail movement and road traffic will also be closed on 30th December,” Pandher said addressing a press conference at Khannur border.

The protest organised by the farmers of Punjab at the Khanauri border in Sangrur district, near the Haryana border, entered its 318th day. They have been protesting since February 13, 2024, to press on their various demands including a law to guarantee the minimum support price (MSP).

On Tuesday, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann lashed out at the central government and said that they should abandon their “stubbornness” and open their way for talk with the farmers.

He also took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and questioned him that if he can stop the war between Russia and Ukraine, then why can’t he talk to the breadwinners sitting 200 kilometers away?

Taking to social media X, the Punjab Chief Minister wrote in a post “The central government should abandon its old stubbornness and open the way for talks with the farmers’ organizations… A cat does not run away when a pigeon winks.. I don’t know what penance the central government is doing now?? If Modi ji can stop the war between Russia and Ukraine, then can’t he talk to the breadwinners sitting 200 kilometers away? What time are you waiting for..?”

Earlier, on the occassion of Kisan Diwas, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan emphasized the Central Government’s commitment to farmers’ welfare under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. (ANI)

This Christmas, one of Bollywood’s power couples, Vicky Kaushal and Katrina Kaif, brought warmth and joy to their fans with a heartwarming family celebration.

The couple, along with Katrina’s family, gathered to mark the festive season with love, laughter, and a little holiday magic.

Katrina shared a glimpse of their cosy Christmas celebration on Instagram, delighting fans with adorable photos that captured the joy of the occasion.

“Merry merry merry,” she captioned the post, spreading the holiday cheer to her followers.

In the first image, Katrina was seen enjoying a hearty laugh with her sisters, all of whom were dressed in a mix of red and black. She herself wore a comfortable red sweater paired with black denim and a matching cap.

The next picture featured Katrina and her husband, Vicky Kaushal, posing alongside Santa Claus.

The couple looked effortlessly stylish, with Katrina opting for an all-black ensemble, while Vicky chose a green sweater paired with grey sweatpants.

Katrina also gave her fans a sneak peek into their Christmas decorations, which included a stunningly decorated tree, complete with a pile of gifts underneath.

The festive atmosphere was enhanced by creative gift ideas, one of which was a “Blind Date with a Book” — a set of books wrapped in brown paper with handwritten clues that described their contents.

The actor also shared some of the Christmas presents she received from her sister.

Katrina’s fans were quick to react to her cosy Christmas celebration.

Meanwhile, on the work front, Vicky will be next seen in magnum opus ‘Mahavatar’. In the film, he will essay the legendary warrior sage Chiranjeevi Parashurama.

The film, which draws inspiration from Indian mythology, is slated for release in cinemas on Christmas 2026.

The announcement of ‘Mahavatar’ comes on the heels of Vicky Kaushal’s success in films like ‘Bad Newz’, ‘Zara Hatke Zara Bachke’ and his upcoming project ‘Chhaava’, based on the life of Maratha King Sambhaji Maharaj.

He will also be seen in ‘Love and War’, a Sanjay Leela Bhansali film that also stars Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt in the lead roles. (ANI)

Amid the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting being held in Belagavi, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh on Thursday stated that the party is conducting the ‘Nav Satyagraha Baithak’, a new satyagraha, in response to the current government’s focus on “spreading lies and hatred.”

He underscored that a century ago, a Congress session led by Mahatma Gandhi had also taken place in the same location.

“One hundred years ago, at this very place, a Congress session led by Mahatma Gandhi was held. Today, we are holding the ‘Nav Satyagraha Baithak’ because a new satyagraha is needed to counter those in power, whose sole task is to spread lies and hatred,” Ramesh said.

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar also emphasised the party’s legacy, asserting that “the Congress’s history is the country’s history.”

Speaking to ANI, the Deputy CM remarked, “The Congress has kept this country united and has always cared for all sections of society, whether in power or not. The Congress’s history is the history of the country.”

Earlier, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah explained the significance of organising the CWC meeting in Belagavi. “To mark 100 years of the 1924 Congress session, we are holding this convention here, and the All India Congress Committee (AICC) has decided to convene a CWC meeting in Karnataka under the chairmanship of Mallikarjun Kharge.”

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi also attended the extended CWC meeting in Belagavi.

Congress MP Sonia Gandhi is reportedly likely to skip the meeting due to ill health. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, currently accompanying her, may also miss the event if Sonia Gandhi’s condition does not improve, sources said.

The Congress is hosting its CWC meeting on December 26 and 27 in Belagavi to commemorate the centenary of the 1924 Congress session. (ANI)

In a landmark move aimed at promoting transparency and research, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has released the world’s largest electoral dataset unveiling 42 statistical reports on 2024 Lok Sabha elections and 14 reports each on four state assembly elections.

The Election Commission said that these 100 statistical reports will be a treasure trove for academicians, researchers, and election watchers worldwide for in-depth analysis and policy insights.

The data sets provide details of Parliamentary Constituency/Assembly Constituency /State-wise electors, number of polling stations, State/ PC wise voter turnout, Party wise vote share, gender-based voting behaviour, state wise participation of women electors, regional variations, constituency data summary report, performance of National/ State parties/ RUPPs, winning candidates analysis, constituency wise detailed results and many more.

“This exhaustive data set empowers stakeholders to slice and dice data for a granular level analysis with comparison from data sets of previous elections already available on ECI website, these reports will facilitate time-series analysis to track long-term outlook and shifts in electoral and political landscape,” an EC official said.

As per the data, Lok Sabha Elections created world record with 64.64 crore voters exercising their franchise. Number of nominations filed stood at 12,459 in 2024, as compared to 11,692 in 2019. 8,360 candidates contest elections as against 8,054 in 2019.

The report also highlighted that women voters outshined male participation, signaling a new normal of women enfranchisement. Female voters stood at 65.78 per cent as compared to 65.55 per cent for male electors. Female Contesting Candidates were 800, as against 726 in 2019.

According to the data, a massive 46.4 per cent increase in third-gender electors from 2019. 90,28,696 registered PwD Electors in 2024, as compared to 61,67,482 in 2019. Repolling was merely in 40 Polling Stations {0.0038% of Total Polling Stations (10.52 lakhs)} as compared to 540 in 2019.

The ECI’s move to proactively share the massive dataset should silence critics alleging non-disclosure by the poll body. (ANI)

After holding the meeting with Tollywood actors and filmmakers on Thursday, Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has assured that the government stands with the Telugu film industry.

According to the sources, in the meeting, CM Revanth Reddy asserted that there will be no compromise on law and order. The CM also said that celebrities must control their fans and the industry must be responsible.

The meeting was held at Telangana State Police Command and Control Centre at Banjara Hills in Hyderabad.

The delegation of influential people from Tollywood was led by Telangana Film Development Corporation (FDC) chairman Dil Raju. Among other attendees are actors like Nagarjuna, Varun Tej, Sai Dharam Tej, Kalyan Ram, Shiva Balaji, Adavi Sesh, Nithin, and Venkatesh.

Directors including Koratala Siva, Anil Ravipudi, K Raghavendra Rao, Prashanth Varma, Sai Rajesh and Producers like Suresh Babu, KL Narayana, Damodhar, Allu Aravind, BVSN Prasad, Chinna Babu among others are present in the meeting.

Earlier, on December 4, when Allu Arjun attended the premiere of Pushpa 2: The Rule at Sandhya Theatre, a massive crowd gathered to catch a glimpse of the actor, and chaos ensued when he waved to fans from the sunroof of his car. This led to the tragic death of a woman named Revathi and injuries to her child.

Following the incident, Allu Arjun was arrested and later released on bail after furnishing a Rs 50,000 bond.On Tuesday, actor Allu Arjun was questioned by Hyderabad police in connection with the tragic incident during the premiere of his film Pushpa 2.

The incident has also sparked political controversy. Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy blamed Allu Arjun for the tragedy, stating in the Assembly that police had denied permission for any event at Sandhya Theatre due to safety concerns.

The actor, however, dismissed the allegations, calling them an attempt at “character assassination.”

Earlier this year, Telangana Minister K Surekha linked former Minister and BRS leader KTR to the divorce of Tollywood actors Samantha and Naga Chaitanya, accusing KTR of tapping the phones of actors and blackmailing them.

Surekha’s remarks sparked massive controversy, with several BRS leaders as well as superstar and Naga Chaitanya’s father, Nagarjuna Akkineni, condemning the remarks. (ANI)