Month: January 2025

Five people have died, and 16 sustained injuries in the Burari building collapse incident, where a four-storey building collapsed around 6:30 PM in Kaushik Enclave, Rohit Bharti, the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of Burari Hospital, said on Wednesday.

“Of the 21 patients, five died and 16 were injured,” Bharti told ANI.

According to CMO Bharti, the hospital received a total of 21 patients in connection with the Burari building collapse in two batches. Seven patients were admitted on Tuesday, and 14 patients were admitted on the day of the incident, Monday.

On Tuesday, three persons were brought dead to the hospital. The deceased have been identified as Anil Kumar, Mohammad Sarfaraz, and Mohammad Kadir.

“Of the seven patients received yesterday, three of them were brought dead – Anil Kumar, Mohammad Sarfaraz, Mohammad Kadir,” Bharti said.

Meanwhile, the CMO informed that two persons were brought dead to the hospital on Monday.

“We have received 21 patients overall in 2 batches. We received seven patients yesterday and 14 patients (were received) the day before yesterday. Of the 14 patients, two of them were brought dead, including a 6-year-old and a 16-year-old girl. Of the 14 patients, we referred five of them to the Trauma Centre due to serious complications,” Bharti said.

In a turn of events, a family of four was rescued two days after the Burari building collapse incident. The family had been trapped under the debris since Monday evening and was rescued at around 3:00 AM on Wednesday.

CMO Bharti said that the family, which included two children, was stuck under the collapsed building for 32 hours and received only minor injuries.

“A family with two kids were stuck under the collapsed building for 32 hours and they survived with minor injuries. All the facilities are being provided under the supervision of our Medical director,” he added.

The four-storey building collapsed at approximately 6:30 PM in Kaushik Enclave, Burari, on Monday. Police said they received a call regarding the incident at 6:58 PM.

Delhi Chief Minister Atishi earlier assured the public that all possible help would be extended to the affected people and ordered the local administration to ensure speedy relief and rescue operations for those feared trapped.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Police has registered an FIR in the case under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita (BNS) and arrested the builder, Yogendra Bhati.

On Tuesday, AAP MLA Sanjeev Jha from Burari said that an ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh will be given to the families of the deceased and Rs 5 lakh will be given to the families of the minors who died. (ANI)

“Kickstarting his election campaign for the upcoming Delhi polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday exuded confidence for the party’s victory saying that on Febraury 5, the Aam Aadmi Party will go and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP will come.

He said, “Whole Delhi is saying, on February 5, AAP-da jayegi, Bhaajpa (BJP) aayegi.”

Addressing a public rally in the Ghonda assembly constituency, PM Modi targeted the ruling AAP in Delhi, saying that the residents of the territory want a government that would give them freedom from tanker mafias and supply them tap water.

“The scene here reflects the mood of Delhi, it reflects the mandate of the people of Delhi. Delhi is saying that now no excuses, false promises, loot, lies of ‘AAP-da’ won’t work anymore. The people here want double engine government who will work on the development and welfare of poor. Delhi wants a government who will build houses for poor, make Delhi a modern state. Delhi wants a govt who will provide tap water to all house and gives freedom from tanker mafias. Today, whole Delhi is saying, on Feb 5, AAP-da Jayegi, Bhajpa (BJP) aayegi,” PM Modi said.

The Prime Minister lauded the Delhi unit of BJP for their manifesto, which promises welfare schemes for all, including Delhi’s women, youth, middle class, auto drivers, shopkeepers, slum dwellers.

He said, “I congratulate Delhi BJP. They have presented a tremendous Sankalp Patra. In this, there are schemes promised for Delhi’s women, youth, middle class, auto drivers, shopkeepers, slum dwellers. The BJP govt which would form after Feb 8, they will complete their all promises in a specific time-frame. This is Modi Ki Guranatee.”

Reflecting over the situation of Delhi, PM Modi slammed AAP saying that crores of citizens of the nation are working towards Vikshit Bharat but Delhi doesn’t look like a developed capital city of the nation.

PM Modi said, “Crores of citizens of the nation are working for the resolution of Viksit Bahrat. It is needed that the capital of Viksit Bahart should be a model of Viksit City. Upon seeing misery of the Delhi, can you say is Delhi a capital of modern state? Does it look like a capital? I don’t need to give any answers. Crores of citizens of Delhi always speak about their problems.”

Appealing to the Delhitees to vote for the BJP, PM Modi asked for a chance to work for their welfare and developement, saying – “Ek baar Kamal ko bhi dekh lijiye”.

In his rally, he targeted the AAP and Congress saying that both the parties ruled for 14 years and 11 years ruled respectively, but nothing have changed here.

The Prime Minister said, “This is 21st century whose 25 years have been over. The initial 14 years was ruled by Congress, then 11 years you gave to AAP-da, but the problems of the Delhi are still prevailing. They have ruined Delhi. Some ruled for 14 years some 11 years, still the traffic, poor infrastructure, sewage, pollution, dirty water was same. Nothing has changed. Your one vote can change the situation of Delhi. We have to complete all the work of 11 years and work for the upcoming 25-30 years. that’s why I appeal to Delhitees to give a chance to Modi to work for Delhi. I have been able to work for country but not in Delhi. Ek baar Kamal ko bhi dekh lijiye. The way family’s chief takes care of his family, I will do the same for Delhi. Your dreams will be my dreams and I will dedicate everything for you. BJP has track record of doing things what it does.”

In this election, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is eyeing to reclaim the power in the national capital almost after 27 years.

The Congress, which was in power for 15 consecutive years in Delhi, has suffered setbacks in the last two assembly elections and failed to win any seats.

In contrast, AAP dominated the 2015 and 2020 assembly elections, winning 67 and 62 seats, respectively, out of a total of 70 seats, while BJP secured only three and eight seats in these elections.

The Delhi Assembly elections will take place in a single phase on February 5, with the counting of votes set for February 8. A total of 699 candidates are competing for the 70 assembly seats in Delhi. (ANI)

The Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Waqf Amendment Bill on Wednesday adopted the draft report and the amended revised bill. On January 30, the committee will present the report to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. However, opposition leaders have also submitted their dissent notes on the report.

Speaking to ANI, the chairman of the JPC, Jagdambika Pal said, “Today, we have adopted the report and the amended revised bill. For the first time, we have included a section stating that the benefits of Waqf should go to the marginalized, poor, women, and orphans. Tomorrow, we will present this report to the Speaker.”

“We had 44 clauses before us, out of which amendments were proposed by members in 14 clauses. We conducted a majority vote, and these amendments were then adopted,” he added.

BJP MP Dr Radha Mohan Das Agrawal slammed the opposition and said that it is in their DNA to oppose the government.

“The report on Waqf Amendment Bill has been adopted by 14 to 11 votes. Various parties have submitted their dissent notes. The report will be submitted to the Speaker tomorrow. It is the Opposition’s work to oppose the work done by the govt. It is in their DNA to do so,” he said.

BJP MP Tejasvi Surya emphasized that the intention of the government was to bring modernity, transparency and accountability in the management of Waqf properties and to also prevent the abuse of the law by vested interests who were trying to encroach upon lands at the cost of social and communal harmony in the country.

“Both of these objectives have been met with the amendments that have been passed and the report that has finally been accepted by the JPC. Though the discussions were heated, the final report is a fine document that empowers the Muslim community by bringing in much-needed accountability and transparency in the dealing of the Waqf Board,” Surya said.

However, the JPC’s action ignited criticism from the opposition leaders.

AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi said that he will oppose the bill when it will be discussed in the Parliament during the Budget Session.

“Last night, we were given a 655-page draft report, and it is humanly impossible for anyone to read such a lengthy report in such a short time and give their opinion. Nevertheless, we made an effort and submitted our dissent report,” he said.

“This is not in favour of Waqf. I have been saying from the beginning that the BJP has brought this bill against Muslims, according to its ideology, and it is intended to harm the Waqf Board and seize their mosques. When this bill is brought to Parliament, we will oppose it there as well. If Hindus, Sikhs, and Christians can have members of their own religion on their respective boards, then how can you have non-Muslim members on a Muslim Waqf Board?” Owaisi said further.

Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee also mentioned that he has submitted his dissent note over the report.

“I have given my dissent note… We received a 656-page draft yesterday around 7:55 pm… The observation and recommendation of the committee in this report are wholly perverse. Statements of the victims have not been taken into consideration. What we said during the course of deliberations has not been taken into consideration… The question that arises is, whether the stakeholders’ view which we have expressed, why did it not appeal to the chairman. According to me, the JPC proceedings have turned into mockery… All other views have been totally ignored,” he said.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant said that they have issued a dissent note because the amendments made are against the Constitution.

“Until yesterday, people used to come through elections in Waqf, but now you are removing elections. People will be nominated there, and the central government will do it. If the government can change laws regarding the Election Commission, what will it do here? Today, there is a provision to bring non-Muslims into Waqf, so tomorrow they might do the same in our temples (bringing non-Hindus) because the issue of equality will come up in the Constitution,” Sawant said.

DMK MP A Raja claimed that the draft report has been adopted in a hurried manner.

“Last night we received the draft report by 9.50 pm, how can the Chairman expect that we will submit the dissent note overnight,” he said.

Congress MP Dr Syed Naseer Hussain said, “Many objections and suggestions were made which have not been included in this report. The government has made the report as per them. Unconstitutional amendments have been brought and the rights of minorities have been harmed. The amendments have been brought to single out the minorities, especially the Muslim community.” (ANI)

Mahakumbh DIG Vaibhav Krishna said that the police are looking into the causes of the stampede-like situation that occurred in the early hours of Wednesday.

Vaibhav Krishna said that Amrit Snan is about to begin and police and administration will assist all the akharas in completing their traditional processions.

“Amrit Snan is about to begin… Everything will be carried out traditionally… The police and administration will assist all the Akharas in their traditional processions… The situation is under control. We are looking into the causes of this morning’s incident. It happened because of a huge rush of devotees. More than 10 crore devotees are expected to arrive,” DIG said.

SSP Kumbh Mela Rajesh Dwivedi said, “There was no stampede. It was just overcrowding due to which some devotees got injured. The situation is completely under control. No kind of rumours must be paid heed to… Amrit Snan will soon begin… All preparations for Amrit Snan have been made… Many ghats have been developed and people are easily taking a dip in those ghats… I don’t have numbers on casualties or injuries…”

A stampede-like situation arose at the Mahakumbh in Prayagraj in the early hours of Wednesday, resulting in several injuries. This incident occurred as millions of devotees gathered at the confluence of the Ganga and Yamuna rivers to take a holy dip on the auspicious occasion of Mauni Amavasya, which is also the day of the Second Shahi Snan.

Meanwhile, after a brief halt following the incident saints continue to arrive, though in smaller processions, at the Triveni Sangam for the second Amrit Snan on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya..

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences to the devotees who lost their loved ones in the stampede-like situation in Maha Kumbh and wished for the speedy recovery of all the injured.

“The accident that happened in Prayagraj Mahakumbh is extremely sad. My deepest condolences to the devotees who have lost their loved ones in this. Along with this, I wish for the speedy recovery of all the injured. The local administration is engaged in helping the victims in every possible way. In this regard, I have spoken to Chief Minister Yogi ji and I am constantly in touch with the state government,” PM Modi said on X.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah had already reached out to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, assuring him of full support from the Centre.

Notably, 36.1 million devotees have taken the holy dip in Triveni till 10 am on Wednesday, according to the Uttar Pradesh government. Other significant days during the Mahakumbh include February 3 (Basant Panchami), February 12 (Maghi Purnima), and February 26 (Maha Shivaratri). (ANI)

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has raised the price of molasses-made ethanol for the current marketing season. Ethanol is produced from molasses, which is used in blending of petrol.

The government has approved the revision of ethanol procurement price for Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) for the Ethanol Supply Year (ESY) 2024-25 starting from November 1, 2024, to October 31, 2025, under the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme.

Accordingly, the administered ex-mill price of ethanol for the EBP Programme derived from C Heavy Molasses (CHM) has been raised to Rs 57.97 per litre from Rs 56.58 per litre.

The government said that the price approval will not only facilitate the continued policy for the Government in providing price stability and remunerative prices for ethanol suppliers but will also help in reducing dependency on crude oil imports, savings in foreign exchange and bring benefits to the environment.

In the interest of sugarcane farmers, as in the past, GST and transportation charges would be separately payable. An increase in prices of CHM Ethanol by 3 per cent will assure sufficient availability of ethanol to meet the increased blending target.

The government has been implementing the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme wherein OMCs sell petrol blended with ethanol up to 20 per cent. This programme is being implemented across the country to promote the use of alternative and environment friendly fuels.

This intervention also seeks to reduce import dependence for energy requirements and give boost to agriculture sector.

During the last ten years, ethanol blending in petrol by Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) has resulted in approximate savings of more than Rs 113,007 crore of foreign exchange and crude oil substitution of about 193 lakh metric tonnes.

Ethanol blending by Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) has increased from 38 crore litre in Ethanol Supply Year 2013-14 (ESY – currently defined as the ethanol supply period from November 1, of a year to October 31, of the following year) to 707 crore litre achieving average blending of 14.60 per cent in ESY 2023-24.

The government has advanced the target of 20 per cent ethanol blending in petrol from earlier 2030 to ESY 2025-26 and a “Roadmap for ethanol blending in India 2020-25” has been put in the public domain.

As a step in this direction, OMCs plan to achieve 18 per cent blending during the ongoing ESY 2024-25. Other recent enablers include enhancement of ethanol distillation capacity to 1713 crore litre per annum; Long Term Off-take Agreements (LTOAs) to set up Dedicated Ethanol Plants (DEPs) in ethanol deficit States; encourage conversion of single feed distilleries to multi-feed; availability of E-100 and E-20 fuel; launch of flexi fuel vehicles etc.

“All these steps also add to ease of doing business and achieving the objectives of Atmanirbhar Bharat,” the government said. (ANI)

During Coldplay’s recent concert series in India, frontman Chris Martin had a playful moment that caught the attention of fans and celebrities alike.

The British band’s final performance of their India tour took place in Ahmedabad, where Chris made a lighthearted comment about being from Telangana, which immediately resonated with Indian fans, including actor Vijay Deverakonda.

As the band wrapped up their incredible performances, Martin jokingly addressed the crowd, saying, “Everyone knows that I am from Telangana.”

The statement came after he thanked his bandmates for their 29 years of camaraderie and humorously declared that the band was now an “Indian band,” with each member hailing from a different part of the country.

Chris Martin went on to identify each band member’s roots, noting that bassist Guy Berryman is from Tamil Nadu, while drummer Will Champion is “100 per cent Gujarati” from Ahmedabad.

The playful moment became even more memorable when Chris added, “Everyone knows that I am from Telangana.”

Vijay Deverakonda shared a portion of the video on his Instagram stories in response to Chris Martin’s joke.

The actor wrote, “Chris Martin (heart emoji) welcome! Someone needs to make a Podusthunna Poddumeeda X Coldplay mashup.”

Podusthunna Poddumeeda is a famous song from the 2011 film Jai Bolo Telangana, which is an anthem of the Telangana movement.

The song was composed by the late Chakri, with lyrics written and sung by the poet Gummadi Vittal Rao.

On the work front, Vijay Deverakonda was last seen in the film ‘The Family Star’ and had a cameo in Kalki 2898 AD. (ANI)

The White House has issued an executive order prohibiting federal funding, support, or promotion of medical procedures intended to transition a child’s sex, citing concerns over their long-term consequences.

The order states that medical professionals are engaging in “chemical and surgical mutilation” of children under the “radical and false claim that adults can change a child’s sex through a series of irreversible medical interventions.”

The administration describes these procedures as dangerous, asserting that affected children may suffer from permanent sterilisation and lifelong medical complications.

According to the order, “Countless children soon regret that they have been mutilated and begin to grasp the horrifying tragedy that they will never be able to conceive children of their own or nurture their children through breastfeeding.” It states that the federal government will take all available steps to “rigorously enforce all laws that prohibit or limit these destructive and life-altering procedures.”

The order provides definitions for key terms, stating that “child” refers to any individual under 19 years of age, and “chemical and surgical mutilation” includes puberty blockers, hormone treatments, and surgeries designed to align a child’s physical characteristics with a gender identity different from their biological sex. The order also states that such interventions are sometimes referred to as “gender-affirming care.”

In an effort to address concerns about what it calls “junk science,” the order criticises guidance from the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH), stating that the organisation “lacks scientific integrity.” It directs federal agencies to rescind or amend all policies relying on WPATH’s guidance, including its “Standards of Care Version 8.” Furthermore, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) is required to publish a review within 90 days assessing existing literature on best practices for children experiencing gender dysphoria, rapid-onset gender dysphoria, or identity-based confusion. The order mandates HHS to use all available methods to improve data collection regarding minors seeking medical transition procedures.

The executive order also orders an end to federal funding for institutions providing gender-transition procedures. It states, “The head of each executive department or agency (agency) that provides research or education grants to medical institutions, including medical schools and hospitals, shall, consistent with applicable law and in coordination with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, immediately take appropriate steps to ensure that institutions receiving Federal research or education grants end the chemical and surgical mutilation of children.”

The Secretary of HHS is directed to take “all appropriate actions to end the chemical and surgical mutilation of children,” which may involve altering regulations related to Medicaid, Medicare conditions of participation, clinical-abuse assessments, mandatory drug reviews, and essential health benefit requirements. Additionally, the order calls for the immediate withdrawal of HHS’s March 2, 2022, guidance titled “HHS Notice and Guidance on Gender Affirming Care, Civil Rights and Patient Privacy.” The Attorney General is tasked with drafting new guidance protecting whistleblowers who expose non-compliance with the executive order.

The order includes directives for the Department of Defence regarding TRICARE, the military’s health insurance program, which covers nearly 2 million individuals under the age of 18. The Secretary of Defence is instructed to “commence a rulemaking or sub-regulatory action to exclude chemical and surgical mutilation of children from TRICARE coverage and amend the TRICARE provider handbook to exclude chemical and surgical mutilation of children.”

It also mandates changes in federal employee health insurance programs. The Office of Personnel Management is directed to ensure that the Federal Employee Health Benefits (FEHB) and Postal Service Health Benefits (PSHB) programs exclude coverage for paediatric transgender surgeries and hormone treatments. It further states that efforts should be made to “obtain appropriate corresponding reductions in FEHB and PSHB premiums.”

The Department of Justice (DOJ) is also given directives to prioritise enforcement related to gender-transition procedures. The order instructs the Attorney General to “review Department of Justice enforcement of section 116 of title 18, United States Code, and prioritise enforcement of protections against female genital mutilation.” Additionally, the DOJ is directed to take action against “deception of consumers, fraud, and violations of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act by any entity that may be misleading the public about long-term side effects of chemical and surgical mutilation.”

The Attorney General is also instructed to work with Congress to draft legislation creating a private right of action for individuals subjected to gender-transition procedures as minors. This proposed legislation would include an extended statute of limitations to allow those who have undergone these treatments to seek legal recourse. Further, the DOJ is tasked with investigating “child-abusive practices by so-called sanctuary States that facilitate stripping custody from parents who support the healthy development of their own children,” including exploring potential applications of the Parental Kidnapping Prevention Act.

To ensure compliance, the order mandates that within 60 days, agency heads must submit a combined progress report to the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy. The Assistant will coordinate regular meetings with agency heads to review implementation efforts and establish timelines for future action.

The order also includes a severability clause, ensuring that if any provision is held invalid, the remaining provisions will not be affected. It emphasises that implementation must be consistent with existing laws and appropriations and clarifies that it does not create new legal rights enforceable against the government or its officials. (ANI)

The Indian Space Research Organisation successfully launched their GSLV-F15 carrying the NVS-02 on 6:23 AM at Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. This is ISRO’s 100th launch from the country’s space port.

GSLV-F15 is the 17th flight of India’s Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) and 11th flight with Indigenous Cryo stage.It is the 8th operational flight of GSLV with an indigenous Cryogenic stage. GSLV-F15 payload fairing is a metallic version with a diameter of 3.4 meters.

The GSLV-F15 with indigenous Cryogenic stage will place NVS-02 satellite into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit, ISRO said in a statement.

Multiple students were given the opportunity to witness the launch near the launchpad itself, with their excitement barely contained to be part of such an opportunity

Teerth, from Gujarat told ANI, “I came from my college to witness the 100th launch, I am really excited. ISRO is not launching various foreign countries’ satellite, so we are generating income from that also, so it is a really impressive step from the Indian government and ISRO.”

Another student, Avinash, from Bihar told ANI that it is his first time witnessing a launch.

“Really excited about it, we are here to witness the take off. All the best to the scientists and anyone else who have worked on this. We are really excited for this, this is the first time I get to witness this, we had been trying for four years to witness this and finally we got the chance,” the student said.

Earlier on Tuesday, Director of Space Applications Centre (SAC)/ISRO Nilesh Desai mentioned that the launch will help update India’s Regional Navigation Satellite System from 4 to 5 satellites.

Desai said, “We are going to launch at 6:23 am this GSLV-F-15 mission which will carry the NVS-02 satellite into orbit. Finally, it will be put in the geostationary orbit at 36,000 kilometres and it will increase the number of satellites of our navigation constellation from 4 to 5 and that will improve the overall accuracy of the positioning which we get from this navigation satellite.”

The satellite constellation of Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS), will have a total of 7 satellites which will be up in space. With the 100th launch, India now has 5 out of the 7 in space.

“This is the 5th in the series of operational NavIC satellites. NavIC satellite is our earlier named IRNSS satellite configuration which is called the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System, it is a part of this satellite constellation where we will put seven satellites. Older satellites are getting replaced with a new series of satellites,” Desai added.

Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) is India’s independent regional navigation satellite system designed to provide accurate Position, Velocity and Timing (PVT) service to users in India as well as to region extending about 1500 km beyond Indian land mass.

NavIC will provide two types of services, namely, Standard Positioning Service (SPS) and Restricted Service (RS). NavIC’s SPS provides a position accuracy of better than 20 m and timing accuracy better than 40 nanoseconds over the service area. (ANI)

In a strong-worded statement, India rejected a Canadian report alleging that the Indian government interfered in Canada’s elections.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that it is in fact Canada which has been consistently interfering in India’s internal affairs.

“We have seen a report about alleged activities on purported interference. It is in fact Canada which has been consistently interfering in India’s internal affairs. This has also created an environment for illegal migration and organized criminal activities. We reject the report’s insinuations on India and expect that the support system enabling illegal migration will not be further countenanced,” the statement read.

The report from the Canadian Commission alleged that after China, India was active in interfering in Canada’s electoral process.

“India is the second most active country engaging in electoral foreign interference in Canada. Like the PRC, India is a critical actor on the world stage. Canada and India have worked together for decades, but there are challenges in the relationship. Many of these are long standing and inform India’s foreign interference activities,” the report said.

The 123-page report also talked of expelling of six diplomats’ in October last year, dubbing them as ‘agents’. The report referred to the time when Canada on October 14, 2024 expelled six Indian diplomats after police collected evidence that they were part of an Indian government “campaign of violence”. India then expelled six Canadian diplomats hours after it summoned Canada’s Charge d’Affaires Stewart Wheeler and conveyed that the “baseless targeting” of the Indian High Commissioner and other diplomats and officials in Canada was completely unacceptable.

“In October 2024, Canada expelled six Indian diplomats and consular officials in reaction to a targeted campaign against Canadian citizens by agents linked to the Government of India,” the report alleged.

The report also claimed that India spread disinformation regarding the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, however, the report contradicted itself by saying that Canada could not find a link to a foreign state on his killing.

“Disinformation is also used as a retaliatory tactic, to punish decisions that run contrary to a state’s interests. This may have been the case with a disinformation campaign that followed the Prime Minister’s announcement regarding suspected Indian involvement in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar (though again no definitive link to a foreign state could be proven),” the report said.

On November 20, India strongly refuted the reports in Canadian media regarding the killing of India-designated Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, and said it should be dismissed with the “contempt they deserve.”

The Ministry of External Affairs further emphasised that “smear campaigns” like this only “further damage our already strained ties.”

Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar was killed outside the Gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, on June 18, 2023. (ANI)

PM Modi Speaks To UP CM Yogi Adityanath After Stampede-Like Situation In Mahakumbh

The Prime Minister on Wednesday spoke to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for the second time in an hour after a stampede-like situation in the ongoing Mahakumbh. The Prime Minister is continuously monitoring the situation at MahaKumbh. The Prime Minister has also called for immediate support measures.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has also spoken to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath following the incident at the Sangam during the Mauni Amavasya celebrations at the Mahakumbh Mela. He also assured him of full support from the Centre.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has appealed to devotees to not take a dip at the ghat nearest to Maa Ganga instead of attempting to go towards Sangam. He also appealed to the devotees follow the administration’s instructions and cooperate in maintaining order. He also asked devotees not to pay attention to any rumours.

Meanwhile, Jagadguru Swami Rambhadracharya Ji on Wednesday appealed to all devotees to not insist on taking a dip at the Sangam Ghat after a stampede-like situation in the ongoing Mahakumbh due to large crowds.

In a self-made video, Rambhadracharya Ji urged the devotees to not leave their camps.

“I appeal to all the devotees that because a large crowd has gathered in Prayagraj today, they should not insist on taking a holy dip only at the Sangam Ghat. As of now, they should not leave their camps and look for their safety,” Jagadguru Swami Rambhadracharya Ji said.

The various Akharas have also called off the Holy Dip for the day, the Akhara Parishad has appealed to devotees to come for the Holy Dip on the occasion of Vasant Panchami on February 3.

Niranjani Akhara Chief Kailashanand Giri Maharaj said, “Seeing the large and indispensable crowds, Akhara Parishad and all the acharyas have decided that we will not do ‘snaan’ today. We need to keep the problems faced by the common people in mind. In Indian traditions, saints always pray and work for the well-being of all… Keeping that in mind, all the Akharas have agreed to and refrained from taking a holy dip today. We will joyfully take a holy dip on Vasant Panchmi.”

President of Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad, Ravindra Puri said, “We are saddened by the incident that took place. There were thousands of devotees with us… In the public interest, we decided that the Akharas will not participate in the Snan today… I appeal to the people to come on Vasant Panchmi for a Snan, instead of today… Also, the incident happened because devotees wanted to reach Sangam Ghat, instead, they should take a dip wherever they see the Holy Ganga… It is not the fault of the administration; it is not easy to handle crores of people… We should cooperate with the authorities…”

The incident comes as a massive crowd of devotees gathered at the Sangam Ghats for the ‘Amrit Snan’ on the occasion of ‘Mauni Amavasya.’

‘Mauni Amavasya,’ which marks the day of the second Shahi Snan, is expected to draw a crowd of 80-100 million people. Other significant bathing dates during the Maha Kumbh include February 3 (Basant Panchami–Third Shahi Snan), February 12 (Maghi Purnima), and February 26 (Maha Shivaratri). (ANI)